


Oh What A Shame The Poor Groomsbride Is A --

by The_Inebriated_Literary_Virtuoso



Series: The Wedding AUs [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Romantic Comedy, Bad Flirting, Bad Parenting, Boys In Love, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Falling In Love, Family Shenanigans, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Inappropriately timed disney song, Jason is a Dork, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Nico is a Dork, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romantic Comedy, The Author Regrets Everything, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Wedding Planning, Weddings, obligatory we faked a relationship for a wedding fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-09-16
Packaged: 2018-04-13 09:22:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 46,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4516473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Inebriated_Literary_Virtuoso/pseuds/The_Inebriated_Literary_Virtuoso
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Or the "We Faked This For A Wedding But Now I'm Kinda In Love With You" fic that no one asked for but the author wrote anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One: Confrontations and Lying By Omission

_**Once in awhile,** _   
_**Right in the middle of an ordinary life,** _   
_**Love gives us a fairy tale.** _   
_**~ Anonymous ~** _

 

* * *

 

 

Nico di Angelo was getting really tired of having his stepmom’s mother on his case. He was also tired of his sister and her boyfriend, and essentially everyone who was paired off around him. It was as though Nico hadn’t been sent a memo about the pairing off that his friends had done with each other. It wouldn’t bother Nico as much if not for the simple fact that his father was getting married, which implied that Nico, just finished with his second year of college, had to bring a date.

Nico had contemplated picking up a random stranger at a club two weeks prior to the wedding simply to have someone there. Hell, he had considered buying an escort. But all of these things were moot, really. And because to be honest escorts weren't really Nico's jive. Or else Nico would not be sitting in his minuscule apartment, where he had attempted to come up with solutions to a problem that would most likely be the conversation brought up for years.

_Remember Hades’ wedding?_

_**Oh, the one where his son came home alone from college?** _

_That’s the one!_

Nico could just imagine his father smiling at Hazel and her impeccable, if not slightly passive, boyfriend while frowning at the lack of a plus one on Nico’s part. He scoffed as he paced and had resorted to defeat as he went to the coffeeshop just a block away from his apartment.

He got a coffee and walked to the bookstore, where Hazel was currently working her shift.

“Nico!” She said, in delight.

“Hey.” He said, his hands in his pockets, looking around.

She smiled at him. “What are you up to? You’ve been holed up for the last week.”

He sighed and took his regular seat behind the counter. “I’ve been trying to figure out my situation for the wedding.”

Hazel sighed and rubbed circles into his back. “It’s okay. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

Nico let out a loud groan. “It won’t. He’ll pretend it is, but secretly he’ll be disappointed. Plus they expected me to bring a guy home, and we’re leaving tomorrow.”

Hazel reached out and took his hand. “I actually have a friend, who wanted to help.”

Nico narrowed his eyes at her. “No, not after that blind date last time.”

“How many times do I have to say I was sorry? I swear Octavian had seemed normal!”

Nico chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t think he’ll buy it either way, Hazel.”

“It’s worth a try, isn’t it?” Hazel looked at him hopeful eyes.

Desperate and looking for any way to appease his father he rolled his eyes after a moment of deliberation.

“I guess it couldn’t hurt.”

__

That evening as they were picking up Frank from his apartment he was followed by an (impossibly) taller person.

Hazel smiled at Frank from across the front seat where they sat. The tall man had gotten in next to Nico and Nico just continued as though his presence hadn’t affected him at all.

“I’m Jason.” The blond man spoke.

Nico turned to him and had to accept that begrudgingly Jason was certainly a sight to behold.

“Nico. Hazel’s brother.”

Jason smiled at him. “Great!”

Nico looked at him with cautious eyes. “So how did my sister get you to do this?”

Jason shrugged. “Had nothing going on, she said there would be a party, and I am certainly not one to pass up being associated with attractive people.”

Nico narrowed his eyes. “What?”

Jason smiled as though he knew something Nico didn’t. “I’m sure you know you’re no slouch. Hazel didn’t mention that.”

Nico just let out a huff breath and went back to the headphones he had on before.

When they arrived at the airport and finally settled in their seats, with Hazel and Frank two rows behind them, Jason turned to him.

“So how is this going to work?”

Nico looked almost as though he was affronted.

“What?”

“Well I mean, Hazel explained the situation. There’s a week of family things, the wedding, parties, people, and something about a disapproving father. So we have about ten hours until L.A. to get to know each other.”

Nico shrugged, his nervousness about flying and his father definitely weighed more on him than the legitimacy of his relationship with a complete stranger who, incidentally, just happened to be amazing and handsome.

“What do you want to know?”

Jason shrugged. “It’s best to start with the basics. Sexual orientation?”

“I’m gay.”

Jason smiled brightly at him. “Good to know. I’m bisexual myself, just so you know.”

Nico nodded.

Jason continued on. “How do you take your coffee? What is your favourite food? And more important how did we meet?”

Nico shrugged off the slew of questions. “Black, tons of sugar. I don’t really having anything I particularly like. And we’ll just stick with the whole meeting through Hazel thing.”

Jason nodded and considered all those points, letting them process in his mind.

His next question made Nico freeze. “Was there anyone before me?”

Nico didn’t say anything. His mind immediately went to Percy Jackson, who was now married. It had been hard, being through the childish workings of an unrequited crush. It wasn’t that Nico still loved Percy, it went beyond that. For Nico Percy was an embodiment of the things he had felt over a long period of time. Feelings that never quite went away, and unfortunately he had associated certain things with Percy Jackson. There was helplessness and loneliness and isolation, and so many other things that he couldn’t name. But every time he thought of them it was as though his brain had trained him to think of that high school crush he had never fully recovered from. His own mind’s pavlovian training to bad memories.

He turned to Jason and swallowed down the regret at the back of his throat.

“Percy Jackson. Don’t ask more than I can tell you. Just know that I used to like him.”

Jason looked at him with worried eyes. “Like?”

Nico fought the urge to glare, just like he used to. “Don’t. That’s my business.”

Jason, contrary to what Nico had predicted, had just put a callused hand over his own. His eyes sincere and apologetic and said, “Whenever you’re ready.”

__

Over ten hours Jason and Nico learned things Nico didn’t even know about some of his closest friends. It hadn’t occurred him that it had been ten hours when until Hazel, behind them and stretching out to tap them, told him they would be landing in fifteen.

Jason smiled sheepishly at Nico. “Ready?

Nico nodded. “Before we land, there’s something you have to understand.”

Jason nodded.

“My father, we don’t. . . Me and my father have never really gotten along. Just ignore anything directed at you.”

Jason nodded, but gave a small smile. “Maybe I can change that.”

Nico had to smile at the pure look of innocence on his face. “Maybe.”

Jason took hold of his hand as they exited and Nico was surprised, but it was easy when he finally saw his father. He may have squeezed the hand he was holding subconsciously tighter at the sight, because Jason squeezed back in reassurance.

Hazel and Frank walked in front of them.

Jason whispered as they walked through the airport to approach the couple that held signs that read Nico and Hazel.

“So why is this time so important that you have someone to take home?”

Nico shrugged. “It’s a wedding. And plus my father has his eyes on forcing me back to L.A. to begin in the company.”

Jason nodded and squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry, you can stay with me if you need to run away.”

Nico smiled at him gratefully.

__

If someone had told Jason on Monday that by next Monday he would be on a plane, pretending to be one of his friend’s brother’s boyfriend, he would have laughed. Probably thrown his head back and laughed for a long time. Yet there he was, standing next to Nico di Angelo as he looked at probably one of the grouchiest men in history.

Hayden (Hades for short, which Jason will probably make a joke about later) di Angelo smiled at Hazel as she hugged him and Frank gave him a handshake. It must have not been the first because Hayden gave him a look that made Jason presume that he had to respect him at least a little.

When Nico stepped forward it seemed as though everything tensed, even easy and sweet Hazel who he had never known to freeze up unless it was when someone said something about her brother.

Nico and Hayden faced each other and both reached out a cordial hand. They nodded as they shook hands and then Hayden turned to Jason.

Hayden said to no one in particular. “And I suppose this is him?”

Jason nodded. “Jason Grace. Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

Hayden looked over to where Nico was scowling. “Now I know someone’s been lying about me. Pleasant things aren’t always said about me in private company.”

Jason shrugged and Hayden turned away and began to walk.

The woman who had been standing there turned and gave him a sheepish, yet earnest smile. “Sorry about Hayden. He can be a bit of a drama queen. I’m Persephone. Persie for short.”

“Jason Grace.” Jason smiled back at her and she turned to walk with Hayden.

He turned to Nico with wide eyes. “They have to be kidding.”

Nico smirked. “No, they really aren’t. Hades and Persephone. My stepmom’s mom makes jokes about it all the time.”

Jason smiled down at him and they moved to get into the sleek black car that awaited them when they left the airport. While his parents and Hazel and Frank had gotten into the car Nico looked at the man in the driver’s suit.

Nico smiled at the chauffeur. “Jules Albert.”

Jules Albert was thin, almost as much as Nico, but stood tall with a thick beard and mustache and when he saw Nico he immediately smiled.

“ _Mon garçon!_ How is New York, Nico, sir?” Jules Albert said in a heavy French accent.

Nico waved a hand as he reached to help Jules Albert. “You know, fun. But I missed our drives.”

Nico turned to Jason, who watched in shock that there were people that Nico had actually liked.

“Jules Albert used to be my personal chauffeur in New York until my father left. He was an awesome driver. Plus he took me to the zoo whenever we had to get away from father.”

Jules Albert smiled at Jason. “Hello! You are a friend of Nico, yes?”

Jason had stuttered a bit, but Nico smiled and squeezed his hand in a superficial sort of way.

“This is Jason Grace. He’s my plus one.”

Jules Albert must have caught on because he gave a sly smile and nodded. “A very lucky man, indeed, sir.”

That ended their conversation as they got into the car and Jason immediately felt the need to tense.

Hayden looked at them, zeroing in on his victims, if there was no other way to say that. Jason had learned enough in ten hours to know that he didn’t trust Hayden di Angelo. Nico had tensed up talking about his father, and he understood. Jason had known Nico previously from college classes where Nico kept to himself. He had heard whispers of the unfriendly guy and the guy who no one talked to. He had figured that maybe he had just been shy, or introverted, but it went beyond that. Jason had watched him since their first class together, and Nico had this look in his eyes that Jason had never fully gotten over. Jason could have sworn they looked almost empty.

Hayden cleared his throat. “So, Grace?”

Jason gulped a bit. “Yes?”

Hayden looked at him with eyes that seemed almost invasive. “You are Nico’s . . . erm, boyfriend?”

Jason smiled at Nico falsely, because really there was no other way to do those things when it was almost glaringly obvious that this was fake.

“Yes.”

Hayden looked at their joined hands. “And how long have you been together?”

Nico opened his mouth but Hayden held up a hand. “No, let the Grace boy speak.”

Jason frowned as Nico slipped back into his seat as his eyes darted through the car nervously. Jason had watched him worriedly as he stroked his thumb over the palm of Nico’s hand.

“We’ve been together for six months now.”

Hayden narrowed his eyes. “Funny how he didn’t mention you.”

Nico squeaked beside him in nervousness. But Jason just curled his unoccupied fist and frowned.

“With all due respect, Mr. di Angelo, it doesn’t seem to me that Nico would talk to you all that much, much less about me.”

Everyone looked at Jason in shock, even Nico momentarily gaped before he shut his mouth closed. Hayden narrowed his eyes even further, examining Jason as he would assume a snake would. Jason simply stood there facing him head on.

Hayden settled back as the car came to a stop. “Very well.”

And with that he stepped out of the door as it opened for him.

__

Jason, Frank, Hazel, and Nico sat in Nico’s old room as Hazel ranted.

“Oh my god that was amazing! I mean, I love my father, but sometimes. . . sometimes it’s very hard to watch the way he treats Nico. And Jason you stood up to him! Amazing!”

Jason shrugged. “I don’t like bullies.”

Nico sat next to him and nudged his shoulder a bit. “Thanks.”

Jason beamed at him as though he had given him the most enthusiastic praise and in his own way, Nico had.

Frank smiled at Jason. “Thanks for sticking up for Nico. It’s kinda hard sticking up to a guy like Hades.”

Jason smiled at all of them.

Hazel flopped down next to Nico and smiled. “maybe he can be our knight in shining armor.”

Nico gave her a look of mock indignation. “Get your own. You have Frank. Plus he’s your actual boyfriend.”

Jason hated being reminded of that fact.

**  
**

After a tense dinner with very little talking Jason and Nico went out to the vast garden in the back of the large mansion, for lack of a better word on Nico’s part. They walked through the azaleas and the gardenias and the roses and Jason finally let go of Nico’s hand.

“Do you think they believe us?”

Nico nodded. “Yes, after what you said to my father, definitely. Everything is fine so far.”

Jason nodded.

“Why don’t you or Hazel say anything to him?”

Nico glowered at the purple roses and Jason could swear they wilted under his gaze.

“It’s complicated.”

Jason nodded, not pressing the issue.

They continued walking until Persephone called out for them.

“Jason! Nico!”

Nico reached for his hand clumsily as she turned around the corner to find them standing there.

She smiled apologetically. “I’m so sorry, my dears. Nico, you know how your father can be. I just came to let you know that tomorrow you’ll be helping me with designing the place cards and thank you cards.”

Nico groaned. “Can’t Hazel help you with that?”

Persephone sighed. “I suppose, but I really would like your input. You know she’s not very good at those things.”

She batted her eyelashes at him sadly until he rolled his eyes and gave in. “Fine. But I’m sleeping in.”

She spared a sly glance at Jason and winked. “I could see why.”

She walked away as Jason was left to watch her retreat with shock.

He looked at Nico. “How did she-”

Nico nodded. “Don’t ask me. I am still wondering why she wants to marry my father myself.”

Nico let go of his hand and Jason simply stood there, unsure of what the next step was in proceeding with this.

“Right, so, bed?”

Nico ran a hand through his hair, sighed, and nodded his agreement.

Persephone waited for them by the back door and led them up to their room.

“So since Hazel mentioned Jason I thought maybe you could both sleep together? After all we are all adults here. You’re in college after all.”

Jason and Nico looked at each other in shock. Jason mouthed behind Persephone’s back.

What do we do?

Nico gave a panicked looked and moved his mouth back. Just go with it!

She stopped outside of their room and they both thanked her, bid her a good night, and Nico shut the door quickly.

“I didn’t think about this part.”

Jason sighed. “Neither did I.”

Nico looked at him nervously. “I’ll just sleep on the floor.”

Jason shook his head. “You really don’t have to give up your bed. I can take the floor.”

Nico shoved him into the bed and began to set up a cot on the floor. ‘Shut up, Grace. It’s fine.”

Jason’s hand lingered where Nico had made contact with his chest. It felt warm, in a way Jason was not particularly prepared to analyze.

Nico laid down on the cot and Jason settled into the bed and turned out the light.

For a minute there was silence but after several minutes passed Jason found it difficult to close his eyes.

“Hey Nico, are you still awake?” He whispered.

Nico sighed. “Yes, Grace.”

Jason turned to face the wall, found it easier to voice his burdens.

“I feel bad for lying to your family. They seem nice.”

“We’re only lying to my father and my stepmother, only one of those people being deceived doesn’t deserve it.”

Jason turned to look at the ceiling once again. “Still. . .”

Nico sighed heavily, trying to let his eyelids close and let him drift. “Listen, Grace, it’s only six days. Six days. And then it’s over and we can go back to only nodding to each other in our anatomy class.”

Jason didn’t want that either, really. What he wanted was something entirely different. But those kinds of things had not been in the rue book of fake-dating your friend’s brother. In truth Jason had always wanted to talk to Nico, to smooth out the crease in between his eyebrows with a kiss or the stroking of a finger. There had been so many almost conversations and almost greetings and almost smiles. His entire relationship with the stranger in his class had been made up of almost’s and maybe’s and never-would’s. He watched the man who looked like a boy and had wondered so many things. He wondered if the boy who looked empty had been living in the wiry cage of a skeleton and if he was hardly ever there. Jason could see it some days when Nico came in late and they made eye contact briefly, and Jason could remember the emptiness of eyes that were brown, but for some reason, looked as black as he could fathom. Jason felt sorry for Nico di Angelo, but he also felt like Nico di Angelo did not need sympathy.

And somewhere along feeling sorry for him, worrying about him, and being fascinated, Jason had kind of fallen in love. Jason became friends with Hazel and when he found out that Nico di Angelo was related he never stopped trying to see him, trying to get a glimpse of him outside of the classroom that confined Jason’s infatuation. Had it been creepy? Jason hoped not. Had it been unhealthy? Most definitely. Jason worried so much, and he knew it was no excuse, but it sure as hell beat any other excuse he could make. But it went beyond that, Jason had begun to care for a total stranger. It was frustrating, beyond irritating, and most of all, Jason enjoyed it. Jason knew, somewhere somehow, that not very many people worried and cared about Nico di Angelo.

“Hey Nico, are you awake?” He whispered into the darkness.

All he got in response was light snoring. _  
_

 


	2. Day Two: If You Love Me, You Don't Love Me In A Way I Understand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five days to the wedding and everything has gone mostly okay. Until Nico is forced to confront issues that need to be resolved before his father gets married.  
> Or, in which Hades is an asshole, Jason understands, and Nico doesn't deserve any of this.

Breakfast the next day could be described as one of two things; awkward and tense.

It seemed to Jason as though the tense atmosphere was a constant companion when Hayden and Nico were in the same room.

Persephone smiled at them as they all sat down and Frank looked around nervously.

“Good morning, kids.”

Hazel smiled at her. Nico had always felt somewhat deprived when Persephone and Hazel smiled at each other. Hazel had, while still being a child from another woman, been the first child his father and Persephone had shared. Bianca and Maria had been a relationship from years before and Nico had seemed to only be the after effects of that relationship. There was always a vague sort of discomfort when Persephone looked into his eyes that wasn’t there with Hazel. And perhaps that had to do with her history with his family, or the simple fact that Nico had always considered himself to be apart from the family Hades and Persephone had tried to build, he had been from a time before and it felt too wrong that his father and stepmother wanted the past to mingle with their future together. It was one of the many reasons why Nico had not wanted to come to their wedding at all.

Hayden looked at the teens as they sat in their places at the dining room table with the table somehow already set.

Hayden looked at Jason and Nico. “Today Persephone will need your help preparing items for the wedding. And then, before dinner I would like to see you in my office, Nico.”

Nico frowned, but nodded his agreement.

Jason took his hand on the surface of the table to reassure him, which resulted in the scowl of Hayden as he rose from the dining table and disappeared around the corner. most likely to go to work.

Persephone frowned and looked at Jason. “I’m so sorry. He really is sweeter once you get to know him.”

Not for the first time Jason wondered how someone like her could love a man like Hayden di Angelo.

Persephone allowed for Jason to wander with Hazel and Frank around the estate while Nico was forced to take tea with Persephone in her garden while they signed and sealed all the envelopes she had mentioned.

After a few minutes of working in uniform silence she spoke.

“So Jason Grace?”

Nico had been prepared for this. “Yep.” He said, with a small outtake of breath and an eyeroll.

Persephone smiled at him. “I really am proud that you found someone, and felt comfortable enough to take them home.” Hazel had done that really. It was all her idea.

Nico just nodded.

Persephone opened her mouth to speak again but Nico snapped angrily.

“Look, can we just both stop pretending? You and I, we don’t do this. We never did this, and I have no idea what made you feel like we needed to. Just because you’re marrying my dad doesn’t mean anything is going to change.”

After a beat Persephone frowned and put down the envelopes she had been holding.

“I don’t see why it can’t.”

Nico furrowed his brow in confusion. “What?”

Persephone gave him a small frown and folded her hands in her lap. “You have always been distant, Nico. I thought perhaps giving you your space was what you wanted.”

Nico nodded. “Okay, good. Let’s keep doing that. You just leave me alone and I’ll be fine.”

Persephone nodded. “You’re not. You have never been good with being alone.”

He just shook his head. “I have been doing just fine so far.”

Persephone continued. “No. I remember your mother and your sister, when you were truly alone. I remember, child, because I was there.”

Nico grimaced at the memory, his sister’s lifeless body as it was rushed into the hospital, hopes against hopes to save the dying girl and Persephone, the nurse, she had been there, just like she had been there when Maria had gotten sick.

“I know, we both know.”

Persephone just sighed. “You think that holding on to dead people is going to make it easier to live? To forgive yourself and finally move on?”

Nico crossed his arms. “I have. I moved on.”

“No, you haven’t. You still blame yourself, and you blame your father. I still see your eyes and I can see you have never forgiven yourself.”

Nico curled his fists. “Don’t talk like you understand. Don’t say it like you have any idea what it feels like.”

She stood then, moving slowly towards the daisies at the edge of her clearing in the middle of her vast garden.

“Don’t I? Your father still calls me Maria from time to time. You and your father, bah, so different yet still the same.”

Nico stood and began walking towards the exit of the garden. “Is that what you had me come here for? To talk about father?”

She turned around and somehow she had woven a flower crown from the daisies she picked.

“I had you come alone because I want you to forgive yourself, Nico. I want to talk to you as though I can understand you. I wish I could extend all the same courtesies to you that I extend to Hazel. I don’t think anyone can truly forget Maria or Bianca, but remembering them, and clinging to them. Nico, those are two very different things. Things you and your father have trouble differentiating.”

Nico took the flower crown and when he looked at her, there was something more vulnerable in his eyes.

“I don’t think I can forgive him.”

She put the crown in his hand and gave him a small smile.

“I think you should try.”

**  
  
**

Begrudgingly when Nico walked through the yard to join Jason, Frank, and Hazel, he had to admit that Persephone was not so bad, not so bad as a mother and a wife and a person, really. Nico considered that maybe with a little time he could even grow to love her.

He joined the group just as Jason and Frank were discussing (see: arguing) about medical practices most effective due to tests and patterns in history.

Hazel just turned and spoke to him quietly as they ranted.

“How did it go?”

Nico gave her a hopefully smile. “I think it went. . . Pretty good. Better than good.”

She smiled softly at him. “I’m so glad, Nico.”

Jason looked over at him and smiled and something in the pit of Nico’s stomach dropped at the sight. Immediately he felt a wave of guilt at the thought of lying to Persephone about his pseudo-boyfriend.

Jason grinned. “What do you have in your hand?”

Nico looked down and had seemingly forgotten all about the flower crown in his hand.

“Oh, Persephone made it for me.”

Jason took the flower crown and gestured to his head.

“May I?”

Nico rolled his eyes but allowed him to anyway.

Jason placed the woven flowers on his head gently and smiled. The sight of Nico di Angelo, clad in black clothes, with an intimidating undercut and piercings, wearing a crown of a rainbow of different coloured daisies made Jason’s heart swell and sputter.

Hazel looked between the two and nudged Frank, she gave him a look he seemed to understand as they watched the two just stare at each other.

Eventually Hazel coughed and announced, “You know, daisies stand for beauty and innocence.”

Jason’s eyes widened as he felt the blood rush to his face and Nico looked away to scowl at her.

“We get it.”

She giggled and Frank smiled at her affectionately and Nico subconsciously felt that pang of envy, to want something like they had.

Jason stared at Nico as he looked on at Frank and Hazel and wondered if he would ever notice the way Jason looked at him. It went beyond what one would assume you would feel for a seeming stranger you had just met the night before.

**  
  
**

After lunch Nico and Jason went to the garden again, taking a walk along the labyrinth of hedges.

Jason looked at him and smiled. “You seemed good after you talked to your stepmom.”

Nico nodded. “I _felt_ good after I talked to her.”

Jason looked ahead and swallowed the nervousness of his next question down.

“Why are things so tense with your dad?”

Nico nodded. “Not a question I’m going to answer right now.”

Jason nodded and took his hand. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Nico glanced around and looked down at their hand. “No one is around.”

Jason blushed and stuttered before he responded. “Yeah I know, I just figured, you know, you could use a hand.”

Nico nodded, attempting to hide his smile.

Jason looked down at him and grinned.

“You know, you shouldn’t hide it. It’s nice, your smile.”

Nico rolled his eyes as they continued walking.

“So, Jason, do you have any family? Can’t have this week be all about me.”

Jason shrugged.

“I have a sister. She joined this group of travelers, all female, they do their own thing.”

“Do you miss her?”

Jason rubbed his neck. “Sometimes. We talk often enough that I feel like I’m not really missing her.”

Nico looked ahead and gave a small smile. “That must be nice.”

Jason nodded.

“Maybe you can meet her when she comes back to the states.”

Nico smiled up at him and it gave Jason hope that they could have something beyond these seven days and seven nights of a fallacy he had all but begged to be a reality.

“Maybe. That wouldn’t sound completely terrible.”

Nico inched closer to his father’s office slowly. Lunch had passed and then the afternoon passed and then came the evening until Nico knew it could avoid it no longer.

He walked into the office, everything was ornate, old, but elegant in a way that seemed to belong to Hayden’s personality.

He sat at the desk in the center of the room as it faced away from the window. He sat as though he had been expecting Nico to come through at that precise moment. Nico wouldn’t have put it past him.

“You wanted to talk?” Nico said in a soft, quiet voice.

Hades gestured to a chair directly across from him. But Nico just lingered near the door.

“Nico, sit.”

Nico fought against all the bones in his body telling him to do what he was told, but he remained standing, lingering by his only chance to escape.

“What did you need, father?”

Hades rose and turned to look out the window.

“It has been brought to my attention that you are now old enough to take care of our finances. And I would like you to do so immediately. It would begin with you taking over the company-”

Nico frowned. “We’ve been through this, father. I’m not going to.”

Hades sighed angrily. “And what exactly would you do, pray tell me.”

Nico sighed in equal measure. “What I went to school for. I’ll be a writer.”

“It’s time to put those ridiculous notions of yours aside, boy! Being a writer, that is not what your mother wanted for you.”

Nico’s fists curled, the fingernails digging into his palms until he felt a moisture and looked down to find that his palms were bleeding.

“My mother wanted me to be happy. She didn’t care how that happened.”

Hades turned to him in a rage. “And do you think anyone will hire you? You are young, inexperienced, naive! Will struggling and starving to get by make you happy, boy?!”

Nico steeled himself for the onslaught. Preparing himself for a battle he already knew would come.

“I want to be a writer, father.”

Hades glared at him. “And what of the company your mother and I built?”

Nico threw his hands into the air in frustration. “You had never even considered me for that until Bianca died.”

Hades frowned. “That is not true.”

Nico walked forward. “Yes it is! You have always loved her more than me! And it’s true even with her being dead! You always wished it had been me instead of her!”

Hades took a step back, as though he feared the look in Nico’s eyes. “That isn’t how I feel at all.”

Nico took a step forward, done being cornered, done being pushed back with no fight to help him. He was done trying to gain the respect and love of a father who obviously wasn’t prepared to give it.

“Isn’t it? Do you even remember what you told me when she died? Do you? You told me it should have been me!”

Hades said nothing as Nico continued on, the words spilling from his mouth, unable to stop themselves.

“Can you imagine what it was like?! I was twelve years old, mom having recently died and now there’s Bianca getting lowered into the ground and you tell me I should have died instead! So you’ll excuse me if I frankly don’t give a fuck!”

Hades stepped forward towering over him.

“You have disgraced your mother and your sister the way you speak of them.”

Nico stood his ground, no longer the small, timid boy he once was. He was now only two inches shorter, capable of casting his own shadow.

“So have you.”

Hades didn’t say anything for a moment until he moved to sit behind his desk.

“I won’t be disrespected, boy! I will not stand for it. You will take over this company, end of discussion.”

Nico slammed his fists down on the table and to both of their surprise the table splintered.

“I won’t have you constantly telling me what to do anymore! I’m not a kid!”

“Yes, you are! Stop thinking you can do these things alone, Bianca!”

Before either of them knew what to say, the anger drained from the room, replaced with the taught atmosphere of the words. Anger was replaced with shock and silence, Hades’ face changed into one of shock as though he hadn’t realized the words had left his mouth. The taste of them lingered in Nico’s mouth as they echoed out into the air of that solitary, cold office. It had finally spilled out, the truth of years where they never really spoke about it, never uttered words of truth. Too long Nico had been his father’s killing floor, and his slaughterhouse, taking parts and pieces of anger in ways he never should’ve had to. Once upon a time, while lying in bed Nico had thought that his father’s approval, his love and respect and devotion, it was all he had ever wanted and it was worth dying for too. But Nico kept the bullets. Because they were his, and even if he loved his father, he wanted him to owe him. He thought that his father owing him would be as good as anything he would ever really get.

He swallowed the bullets of words with Hayden’s name carved on them and now, now Hayden was trying to wrestle them out of him, trying so hard to rip out bullets through wounds that never healed. But Nico held this one there. This singular spewing of words that shot him and made him felt as though he had been shot with a real gun, and it was covered in his father’s name. In the name of of all the things they had said to each other since Maria had died. Nico kept the other bullets and over the years had turned himself into a gun, firing the words back in rapid succession, because he was hungry, and hollow, and had only ever wanted something to call his own, to call home.

Hades looked down in shame.

“I have always loved you and your sister equally.”

Nico nodded his head.

“If you love me, you don’t love me in a way I understand.”

Hades pointed to the door. “Leave me.”

Nico, dazed, confused, and overwhelmed, walked silently to the door.

**  
  
**

Jason found him five minutes later. His eyes looked sympathetic, but not like those who had looked at him the day his mother and sister had died, but in a way that meant he understood. Nico needed someone who understood.

Jason opened his arms in an invitation. Without either thinking to, or meaning to, Nico fell into them, his legs giving out under him.

Nico’s fists curled around the fabric of Jason’s shirt. “Did you hear that?”

Nico knew that the sounds carried, that the yelling match, and the words, and everything Nico hated about coming home, could be heard through the walls of a house too big, even now.

“If you didn’t want me to hear it, then I didn’t.”

Had Nico had the energy or the emotional capacity at the time to consider it, Nico would have fallen in love with Jason just at the utterance of those words.

Jason pulled him away and gave him a concerned look.

“Nico, your hand.”

He’d almost forgotten that it was bleeding lightly.

Jason took him to their shared room and sat him down as he kneeled in front of him and washed and cleaned the hand covered in blood.

Nico chuckled.

Jason looked up at him through his glasses. “What is it?”

Nico gave him a smile that held no real humor or happiness.

“I was just thinking about how much I bleed when I come home.”

Jason frowned as he began to bandage the wound.

“You shouldn’t have come here. And I shouldn’t have agreed to this.”

Nico frowned. “Why?”

Jason nodded. “This is too much.”

Nico pulled his hand away quickly. “No one forced you to come, Grace. You can leave any time you want.”

Jason looked at him with one eyebrow raised. It was confusing beyond belief to know that the person he had fantasized about, had become a concept in his mind, was so simple. Jason had expected him to have things beyond the realm of help, that he was isolated simply for the reason that it was easier to be so, and maybe that was true, but looking at him now it didn’t seem to be. Jason could see the hurt in his eyes despite his valiant effort to look as though he was unaffected. He craved attention, selective attention of course, and he wanted family that accepted and loved him. Nico di Angelo was not an enigma at all, just a simple person with simple wants. Jason felt a fire burn in him at all the people who couldn’t or wouldn’t give him what he wanted. Jason felt another type of fire inside of him at the thought of being the person who could.

Jason sighed and sat down next to him, taking his hand and running his hands over where the wounds were.

“I meant it was too much for you, di Angelo. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

Nico looked down as though he was ashamed of being so choleric.

“Oh.”

Jason sat with him in silence for a beat before he spoke again. “Want to talk about it?”

Nico frowned. “Why? You heard it all.”

Jason shrugged. “Doesn’t mean it won’t help if you want to talk about it.”

Nico laid back on the bed and sighed. “Can we just lay here for a while?”

Jason leaned back and laid down right next to him, their bodies pressed against one another.

“If you want to.”

Jason and Nico slowly dozed off, missing dinner, and eventually falling into deep sleep together. When Jason woke up in the middle of the night, with an arm wrapped around his waist and a boy snoring lightly into the crook of his shoulder he couldn't find it in himself to move or complain.

 


	3. Day Three: The Times They Are A-Changin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get better, the author is very sorry they didn't update as fast as they could have, and we finally get the damn shenanigans everyone has been waiting for.

The next day Nico woke up to be wrapped by limbs that were, decidedly, not his own. Jason was snoring lightly into his hair and Nico had to recall everything from the night before to remember how they had ended up that way. Which was definitely a mistake.

He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. His eyelids felt heavy from the deep sleep, but he felt uneasy, restless, and unable to close his eyes again. After a while of looking at the ceiling listlessly he pried himself from Jason and slipped from the room.

He walked quietly, slipped out of the front doors and looked out at the horizon to find that the sun hadn’t even risen yet.

Jules Albert was standing beside the car when Nico looked at him.

He waved. “My boy, where would you like to go?”

Nico sighed from the passenger seat. “The usual place, Jules Albert.”

Nico kneeled in front of the patch of grass while Jules Albert waited in the car. He looked at the stone sadly.

“It’s been a while.”

The stones didn’t respond, as it should have been.

“Dad’s getting married on Saturday.”

Nothing.

Nico looked up at the sky and had to will his eyes to dry.

“Mom, how could he do this?”

The tombstone that read her name didn’t respond.

Nico balled up patches of the grass in hopeless frustration.

“It’s not fair. It’s not fair that I have to deal with him.”

He felt his tears blur the words on the tombstones. Family, daughter, mother, sister, wife, beloved, missed, alone, he was so alone.

Kneeling it felt as though he was praying to delusions and dreams and things that would never work and know that nothing would be different when he got up. That things would be the same as they had been for eight years. Nico di Angelo wanted so badly to be home, to go back to that miniscule apartment he had paid for, the place where their photos hung everywhere and it felt good to remember and live with his mother and sister in the walls of his home. It felt strange and unifying, but sitting there, looking at the tombstones and feeling the dew of the morning sink into the fabric of his jeans just made him feel more alone than ever.

Jason woke up to find the bed empty. He had expected that, knowing that Nico wasn’t very much one for sticking around or intimate physical contact. He hadn’t expected him to stay wrapped up by Jason longer than he needed to be. Jason tried not to let that small fact hurt him, but rather just laid there trying to process what had happened yesterday. There had been yelling that echoed through the mansion. You would have figured that with all his money Hades would have sound proofed all the rooms of the large house, but still the walls vibrated and as Nico bit back Jason had been cheering silently. Jason had always been cheering for him, and he hoped Nico had understood that after last night. When he pulled on his clothes and walked around the halls he found that Nico was nowhere to be seen.

Persephone looked at him as he entered the kitchen and she gave him a sad smile.

“He’s gone to the cemetery. The keys to our cars are hanging in the garage.”

He nodded and within fifteen minutes he was driving down the winding road from their estate to the single, miniscule graveyard at the edge of the property. It had wrought iron gates and it was the only thing that stood between the mansion and the seemingly endless desert that spread throughout the small town that lay beyond the walls of the mansion.

He drove up to the only car in the graveyard to see Nico kneeling besides two identical stones a bit of the ways off the path. He hopped of the motorcycle he had driven and went to join Nico. Nico looked up to find Jason staring down at him, trying very hard not to feel slightly embarrassed and shy he went back to looking at the stones he hadn’t seen for two years. For a minute they were silent and Jason allowed for the silence to speak for him. He knelt down beside Nico and let them sit beside each other, allowing their steady breaths and heartbeats to connect to each other rather than the words Jason couldn’t understand. In all honesty Jason could. It was easy to relate to the death of family, because Jason had experienced it.

His mother had died three years ago, the grave was near Hollywood but he couldn’t bring himself to go. Thalia had told him about the funeral and the way she had overdosed, but he had avoided her. His mother had a long running habit of abusing and manipulating him in a way he wasn’t sure he could ever forget. But years went on since he had seen her and he forgot her face and he was grateful for it. He wondered what it had to be like for Nico to actually miss people that were already dead.

After a moment he opened his mouth to speak.

“Don’t.” Nico said.

“Why? You can’t keep continuing on keeping this to yourself.” Jason pleaded.

“You know better than anyone else now that you should not be pushing this.”

“But why?” Jason pushed, unable to stop himself this time, “Nico, he’s getting married. Maybe it’s time you be the bigger person here.”

Nico turned to him, eyes wet from tears and full of rage. “Why should I?! Why should it be me who lets this go? I wasn’t the one who neglected the only person left after the accident! I wasn’t the one who made a kid feel like they were responsible for what happened that night!”

By this time Nico had his head in his hands, the moisture from the barren ground making the knees of his jeans moist. It was a vague sensation that he felt in order to channel the things he’d rather not feel at all.

“Why does what happened years ago matter?” Jason knew why it mattered.

Nico looked up at him. “This is my kingdom come. This is the hole I’ve dug myself.”

Jason kneeled next to him. “Explain it to me.”

It was a soft command, offering no force, but a simple request to understand something no one was capable of understanding.

Nico huffed, his breaths coming in shakes and wavering. “Percy and Bianca were coming home, to L.A. He was going to see his girlfriend and she was going to see my father, tell him that we would stay in New York, well I would and she would of course stay there with me. And I remember taking a photo with her before she left. I was twelve. I was so worried. I wanted to tell her to stay behind. To go on a plane instead. But she went.  And s-she. . .”

He sobbed and rubbed the only patch of grass where it grew by the headstone that read:

_**BIANCA DI ANGELO 1991-2007** _

He sniffled, trying to compose himself. “I told her I loved her. I knew she resented me for keeping her from traveling the world with my father, but she loved me. She was my only friend. And Percy had promised to keep her safe. To make sure she made it there.”

His fists curled and uncurled, his breath coming fast and broken and Jason had no idea what to say.

“She died in Nevada. Percy got into a car crash and she was killed instantly.”

Jason looked over to see tears wetting the grass.

Nico looked up at him, eyes red and his face set in a look of sadness that Jason couldn’t stand to look at.

“So that’s it. That’s the truth. This is what I’ve made. This is my life.”

Jason looked at the cold stone. One like his mother’s, like the mother he could barely remember, but resents. He resented her for the drugs and the alcohol and the abandonment, and he blames her the most for the blame. She went on about how it had been Jason’s fault that their father never stayed. But it had been her destructive behavior, the way she had let her habits consume her and had even let them control it. Jason hadn’t ask to be sold to a random stranger for drugs, hadn’t asked to be separated from his sister. But he had been, and it had all been out of his control and for so long Jason had resented the family he had been born into, but he had to be better. He knew better now.

“I say it’s up to fate. You had no idea Percy would break that promise.”

Nico looked down and shook his head. “I should have done something.”

Jason took his hand. “You cannot keep this with you.”

“This is all I’ve ever done, kept it with me.” Nico wondered how Jason’s eyes, so sad and sympathetic, managed to shine so bright.

Nico let his tears run freely, his face streaked, and Jason had to wonder how long things had been like this. Well, not really, he didn’t have to wonder, because it had always been so obvious. Those days their freshman year of college when Nico glowered, Jason wondered how long he had been alone and if Hazel had ever really fixed anything.

“I can’t escape this. I can’t get away from this.”

Jason took his hand and kissed the back of it. “I can show you how.”

Nico nodded softly, completely unaware of the romantic gesture.

Jason stood and extended his hand. Nico looked up and it hit him. In a moment of breathless surprise, with the wind whirling around them and the sun creating an inhuman halo over Jason’s golden hair Nico di Angelo took his hand. When Jason gripped him tight and lifted Nico from his spot on the ground he knew it would be so much easier to rip himself from the past where he’d been hiding and finally take his first step forward, even if it was alone or with a hand to hold.

Jason looked at him as he stood there, hands still holding onto each other tightly. The heat in Nico’s stare seemed to be devoid of anger and seeped with sadness. Jason could see demons beyond the glassy brown eyes as they stared back at him.

Nico let out a shaky breath. “I might let you down.”

Jason put a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll be okay.”

Jason and Nico rode back together on the motorcycle, Jules Albert following back with a smirk. Jason felt Nico wrap himself tight around Jason as they drove down the solitary road and allowed himself the excuse that his blushing was from the morning wind whipping across his face.

“Thank you.” Nico said, leaning into his ear, and over the roar of the air and the motorcycle engine Jason heard it as though it had been as silent as the graveyard.

“I’d do it anytime.”

It felt good to know that, and even if it had not been meant in a way Nico wanted, he was willing to take it the way it came. It felt good to feel the wind hit him and finally feel something. He let out a laugh, the idea of his recovery suddenly an invigorating thing. Jason heard it as though the wind wasn’t rushing past their ears and he could feel a brush of air against his ear and willed himself not to shiver in delight.

When they arrived home they both dusted off and Jason went to get breakfast, but Nico went up the grand staircase at the front of the house. He went up to Bianca’s room and closed the door behind him softly. Her things still sat exactly as they were, not a single thing moved, but the window was opened and the lavender curtains swayed.

“Things will better.” Nico said to the quiet.

The silence didn’t seem so isolating.

Hazel walked into the room, still clad in her pajamas and sat beside him.

“Hey.” She said softly looking around the room.

He looked at her and gave her a shy smile.

“I don’t think I’ve ever told you that I really love you.”

She giggled and nudged him softly with her elbow.

“You never had to, dummy.”

He nodded. “Good. I want you to know you were never a stand in for her. Bianca and you, you’re completely different, and I love you both equally.”

Hazel smiled widely. “You’re moving on.”

Nico nodded and smiled at the room, thinking of the late nights reading, and playing Mythomagic, and his mother cuddling them in a bed not fit for three people, and Hades looking in on them fondly. It all seemed a millions years away, and with the wedding coming closer it felt good to let it go. Let those things wash away and let his father and Persephone paint the walls with new memories. “Yeah. I think it’s time.”

Hazel smiled and lunged at him, even in her sleepy state her arms wrapped around him like steel. She smelled like cinnamon, and tea leaves, to Nico she smelled like home.

Nico laughed softly into her hair and just returned the hug.

Hazel pulled away and her smile was much more sly. “Is this about Jason?”

Nico rolled his eyes and gave her a light shove with his shoulder. “It’s not like that.”

Hazel raised one eyebrow. “But you want it to be?”

Nico rubbed his neck and looked away.

“Drop it, Hazel.”

Hazel held up her hands in defense, but her smile stayed in place.

“Fine, fine. But Frank and I have certainly seen enough to know that’s a heated question we all know the answer to.”

“It’s a fake relationship.”

She smirked in a way Nico felt as though he had never been privy to, it was almost scary.

“It doesn’t have to be.”

He huffed but chuckled as he rose from the bed. They both left, leaving the door to shut softly behind them.

Hazel skipped down the stairs but before Nico could follow behind her Frank pulled him back. Nico spun around and was a bit shocked to find that Frank was even talking directly to him, something Frank generally avoided. They both knew it was because Nico kind of set Frank on edge. It had never been that Nico and Frank had nothing in common, in reality they had a lot to talk about, but after those few years when Hazel had been brought to them and Frank had followed in tow it had been hard. Frank, just like Hazel, knew about those times before. When Nico had bags under his eyes from neverending nightmares, and barely ate, and barely left his room, and barely spoke. Frank had never found it easy to talk to a boy he had seen look as though he was a ghost.

Frank looked at him with furrowed eyebrows.

“I lost my mom early on.”

Nico just stared.

“Hazel never knew her mom.”

Nico just looked around as though it was a prank.

“I know.”

Frank wrung his hands and put a large hand on his shoulder. The contact should have made Nico uncomfortable like it had so many years before when he shied away from human contact, but apparently this weekend Nico was going to turn into a touchy feely person. Whether he wanted to or not, that was up to everybody else.

Frank looked at him directly in a way Nico had never seen and it actually alarmed him enough to return the stare in confusion.

“We all have people we’ve lost. Doesn’t mean you have to stay lost along with them.”

Nico saw his eyes stare back with earnest care and affection and Nico had to wonder when Frank had gotten so wise.

Nico nodded silently and leaned in. “Thanks.”

Frank pulled him into a bear hug and Nico wondered why he had not had the privilege of receiving one before.

Nico pulled away and Frank looked at him and offered up a shy, but hopeful smile.

“You’ll be okay, Nico.”

Nico watched as Frank retreated after Hazel and gripped her hand and gave her a small peck on the forehead as she giggled.

He smiled at them. “Yeah.”

**  
**  


Breakfast was much different that morning. For one, Hades had not bothered to show up at all.

Everyone besides Persephone was extremely grateful.

Persephone rose and coughed to catch everyone’s attention while they ate. They looked up at her and she stared directly at Nico who was seated right next to Jason.

“It has come to my attention that I don’t have nearly as many bridesmaids as I should, so today I called in a favor with one of your friends, Nico.”

Nico ran through his mental inventory of friends and began to worry about what she meant.

“I had you and Hazel’s friends flown in this week for the weekend!”

His heart dropped. Jason noticed his rapid breathing and proceeded to squeeze his hand for reassurance.

Persephone must have seen the unadulterated panic on his face and stage whispered, “Don’t worry, dear. Percy and Annabeth couldn’t make it.”

Nico let out a long sigh he hadn’t known he was holding until he realized once more, “Wait, that means. . .”

Reyna, Piper, and Leo emerged from around the corner and Nico turned to Reyna immediately.

“Reyna!”

She smiled at him and he got up and immediately they stood apart from each other.

She leaned in and whispered. “Heard you were dating my ex-boyfriend, I had to see how that was working out. Plus I heard Persie say you’re terrible help.”

Nico rolled his eyes when she went in for a hug but secretly he clutched her for comfort. She had been with him up until last year when she moved to Los Angeles to work with Persephone in the psychiatric wing she was running at the hospital. He had talked to her on the phone, and now that his second year at college had finished they had planned to go back to New York together once the wedding was over. But having her been there since they were younger, since he had lost Bianca, it had been hard not to have her there for his immediate comfort.

“I missed you.” She said quietly.

He clutched her tighter. “It’s been way too long.”

She pulled away and pinched his arm. “You’re practically skin and bones, are you not eating enough?”

Hazel popped up right next to him. “I keep saying this!”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Now that you’re not there to cook I can’t find anything that matches up. I’m practically starving since you spoiled me.”

Reyna chuckled but looked at Jason. “Jason is a wonderful cook! I’m sure you’ve had plenty of opportunities to experience it!”

Nico narrowed his eyes at her when he noticed the glint in her eyes and the almost mocking tone of her voice.

Jason got up and took his hand, smiling at both of them.

“Of course, we enjoy a late dinner at home together now and then.” And then he proceeded to peck Nico at the corner of his mouth, to which Nico almost blanked.

He looked over to find Reyna smirking at him with a smug face and he was convinced she was hell bent on torturing him.

“I’m sure.” she said, that stupid smile still on her face as she took her seat at the table right next to Frank and Hazel who immediately started chatting her up.

Piper and Leo bounced up to Jason and smiled.

“Jason! Persephone mentioned you were with Nico and Reyna was coming so we decided to hitch a ride.” Piper, in Nico’s firm opinion, seemed too friendly to be considered a friend, but when she looked over at Nico she smiled in a way that Nico had to admire.

Jason had hoped that Piper wouldn’t give away their history in front of Nico, wishing that he wouldn’t have to explain the complications. But she leaned in and gave him her usual kiss on the cheek and when he noticed Nico’s hand slip from his he knew there would be a problem to be dealing with later.

Leo followed right after her and grinned devilishly at them.

“So, Jason, you like Italians? Huh, figures.”

Jason blushed and looked over at Nico, both giving each other smiles of affirmation. “Yeah, figures.”

Leo looked between them and gagged.

“Ew gross, should have known you’d be all gross and overly affectionate. It was the same with Piper.” Bad wording.

Nico looked him in what could be seen as confusion and hurt before it was replaced with neutrality and a small smile. Jason would have believed the smile too, if it had not been for that flash of emotions just before.

When breakfast is finished and Persephone dragged Piper, Hazel, and Reyna away to be fitted in some obscure wedding boutique in downtown L.A. while Frank, Jason, Leo, and Nico were driven by Jules Albert to get fitted for their tuxes. Jason and Nico emerged from the cab of the car to find it was also a obscure shop for men’s outfit wear, where the windows sported fashionable suits that looked as though they would cost Jason a year’s wages. Nico must have seen his distaste and worry and waved a plastic square that looked like a platinum credit card in his face.

“My father’s treat. Feel free to indulge. You’ll be keeping the suit, might even need it later on.”

Jason, Leo, Frank, and Nico walked in, the salesman immediately taking Frank and Leo away to check their measurements. While Frank and Leo tried on suits in the dressing area Nico shuffled next to Jason.

“So, Piper. . .”

Jason wished Leo had never spoken a word of that.

“Yeah, listen, Piper and I, that was a long time ago.” Jason felt the need to clarify.

Nico just shrugged and Jason was unable to tell what he meant by it.

“Hey, it’s none of my business. I mean, we’re not even really dating. I don’t care.”

Jason looked at him. “Right.”

Leo emerged first, showing off a jacket entire black, while the shirt was starched white, suspenders entire black as well, and a red bowtie with a gray handkerchief to match. He smiled at them winningly.

“I don’t clean up so bad after all.”

Jason grinned and shook his head. “Not bad at all.”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Just what you need, another ego boost.”

Leo grinned at them and turned to the attendant who smiled at him politely.

“I’ll take it, my good sir!”

The man chuckled and led him away to have it all measured and packed away for his convenience.

Next Frank emerged and he gave a sheepish look as he turned around and Jason and Nico admired the suit. The suit jacket was gray, with black lapels, a white shirt as well, and a long black tie. His wide set frame seemed to look more dignified, less awkward, like Frank belonged in his broad shoulders and bulking body. Frank looked at them expectantly.

“Well?”

Nico grinned at him. “I think Hazel is going to love the look.”

Frank tugged at the seams of his jacket’s sleeves. “I like it too.”

He went and followed after Leo, leaving Jason and Nico with the salesman.

He grinned at them. “I was told by Ms. Persephone that you would be having coordinating attire, yes?” He spoke with a heavy accent.

Jason and Nico looked at each other nervously but Nico nodded.

“What she says goes, it’s her wedding after all.” Nico had tried to sound reluctant, but secretly since their talk and since bringing in his friends to make this ordeal more bearable, Nico appreciated her. He had subtly tried to make her wedding as easy an experience as possible, because he knew he owed her that much.

The saleman grinned and led them to opposite ends of the fitting room, giving them both black bags attached to hangers with clothes inside.

Nico changed awkwardly, pulling on each piece carefully, trying not to rip or tear anything, and knowing how expensive it was.

The salesman knocked on his door.

“Sorry, sir, but if you could take out the piercings. I will be able to accommodate you much better, sir.”

Nico sighed and began to take them out. There was only four of them, so it had not been a really difficult thing to do, but Nico felt naked without them.

When he finished pulling on the bowtie and tying it into place he looked at himself in the mirror that hung from the wall in the changing room. He looked himself over, took a deep breath, and went out to meet the salesman.

At the same time Jason emerged from his changing room and they froze.

Frank, Leo, and the salesman stood watching them as they walked closer to each other.

Jason was mesmerized by Nico, without the piercings he didn’t look quite himself, but he looked amazing. His black suit jacket, with the gray shirt that fitted his form and the black bow tie that hung loosely, all of it accentuated by his olive tanned skin. Since freshman year of college Nico had filled himself out, his shoulders were more broad, his chest more filled out in terms of muscle and fat. Nico’s light charcoal shirt clung to his chest and Jason was sure he had almost salivated from the sight. The tattoos peeking from under his sleeves had only done to make Jason completely lusting after Nico di Angelo in a fitted suit.

Jason had certainly not been spared. His deep blue suit jacket, with the starched white shirt to match and black tie all suited him very well (pun intended). The jacket accentuated the stance of his shoulders and the way it curved with his back. The white shirt seemed to fit expertly and Jason filled it in well.

Leo leaned into Frank and whispered. “Do you think they noticed how long they’ve been staring? I mean, sheesh we get it, you’re totally into each other.”

Frank just shook his head and smiled conspiratorially. He would definitely be telling Hazel about this later.

Jason walked closer to Nico and pretended to fix the imaginary kink in Nico’s tie, if only to brush his fingers over his chest, to make any type of contact possible.

Jason smiled at him widely. “You look amazing.”

Nico rolled his eyes.

He smiled shyly at Jason. “You too.”

The salesman grinned at them and Leo turned to him with a mischievous grin. “We’ll take all of them!”

By the time they left the store it was only ten, so the general consensus was that they would head home.

When they arrived home they put the suits carefully in the closet of Nico’s room not to be touched until the wedding, and Jason went with Frank and Leo to throw around some type of sports equipment that didn’t particularly interest Nico, so he went to Bianca’s room, sitting there quietly for a few minutes. He looked at the boxes he had set up in the corner of the room, contemplating if he was ready to pack away her things or not.

After several minutes went by a head popped through the door.

Hades looked at him as though he was worried Nico would yell.

“May I?”

Nico wanted to be spiteful, wanted to be mean and vindictive, which he knew he had every right to be. But really, he was just tired. He was tired, and worn, and sick of all the fighting.

He waved to the expanse of the room. “Be my guest.”

Hades sat down beside him on the bed, silently for a while, but Nico knew he had something to say. He always had something he wanted to say.

“I’m sorry.”

Nico had not been expecting those words.

“What?”

Hades just sighed and looked around the room.

“I spent a long time with your mother. She and I, we had been cut from the same root, we grew up with each other.

“The sickness she got infected me, and the sickness I got infected her, and when we bloomed we bloomed together.”

Hades looked at Nico sadly, his eyes glassy in a way Nico had never seen them, and had Nico been able to resolve that hate that resided inside of him, he could almost pity his father.

“When your mother got sick, a part of me got sick along with her, and when she died, I had never been able to really heal, that sickness festering in me.”

Nico just sat there, eyes burning from memories he wished he could forget.

Hades sighed. “I tell you all of this because I have passed on the sickness. It festers in you as it does in me.”

Nico nodded his head to contradict him. “It won’t.”

“It has.” And even if Nico wanted to deny it he knew his father was right.

Hades looked around the room and let out a humorless chuckle.

“She looked so much like your mother, Bianca did. Sixteen and she already had your mother’s eyes and her will.”

Nico wrung his hands, gripping them until they turned white, hoping the tears that welled up in his eyes didn’t fall. They burned.

Hades looked at him sadly. “You have them as well. Your mother’s eyes.”

Nico wished he could remember, but as each year passes without a photograph to remind him he remembers her kind gaze less and less.

Hades sighed, his breaths shaky and cracking.

“I know how resentful you must feel, and I could never ask for you to forgive me after all these years. But I do love you, Nico. I love you as I loved your mother, and your sisters, and Persephone. I want you to know that now, I will not be late. I want you to know that.”

Nico wasn’t sure if he was angry or upset or relieved that those words had finally been spoken. He supposed it had to be all three.

Nico nodded silently, not trusting his voice. After a while he spoke.

“I wanted to hate you so badly,” he began with his voice cracking, “after Bianca, and mom, and this entire thing. I wanted to hold a grudge and never let it go.”

Hades looked at him sympathetically, his eyebrows knitting together in a way he remembered seeing in the mirror and maybe Persephone isn’t wrong at all. Maybe he and his father are exactly the same.

Nico balled his fists as the tears finally spill from his burning eyes. “But I can’t. It’s killing me, and it’s killing Hazel and Persephone too. I can’t wait for you to finally understand that I’m all you have left of my mother.”

Hades reached for his shoulder and Nico almost tensed, the contact seeming too foreign, too different, too estranged.

“It’s enough. I took me so long to realize it, but you are enough, my son.”

And at those words Nico began to sob, tears and sniffling, and shaking. Hades reached around with one arm, squeezing his shoulders and letting him shake and cry and sob and whimper, because this should have happened when he was twelve, not twenty. It took eight years but they’re getting there, and even if Nico had to wait eight years, he’ll get what he deserved and needed.

Hades pulled away once Nico calmed down and turned him so they looked each other in the eyes. It was the first time in eight years they had done that.

“People in our family are so rarely happy, I would like you to be an exception, Nico.”

And crazily enough, Nico believed it, and he still does.

They both rose slowly, and Hades reached for the boxes and handed one to Nico.

“Ready?”

Nico nodded.

They spent the entire rest of the morning packing away things they should have left behind a long time ago. Nico taking Bianca’s bracelet with the silver moon on it, and Hades taking the photo from the desk. Both are mementos of a time they are willing to look past. They didn’t emerge for hours until Persephone called them down for lunch. Persephone saw Nico share his chips and Hades taking them and both casually sharing the food, and Persephone grinned at them.

**  
**  


When lunch was over Reyna dragged Nico away to the garden despite Jason’s protest of hanging out with his boyfriend, something that makes all of them giggle and made Nico blush. Jason is glad it is under the pretense that he is Nico’s real boyfriend or perhaps that might have sounded more embarrassing than he thought.

Reyna dragged him to the little patio at the center of the garden labyrinth.

“Tell me everything.” She said simply.

He sighed. “How much has Hazel told you?”

She grinned.

“Not as much as you’re going to tell me right now.”

“Reyna, it’s not. . . like that.”

But you want it to be.” She raised an eyebrow as she said it.

He shrugged. “We’ve had classes together since last year, if he wanted to ask me out or was even remotely interested, he would have shown it by now.”

Reyna sighed. “No. Jason respects people too much too be so invasive. Besides what would he say?”

Nico shrugged once more. “I’m sure he could’ve come up with something.”

“So could you.”

“It’s not the same.”

“Oh really, and how?”

“I-I. . . I mean, I don’t-”

Reyna flashed a smirk. “Exactly.”

Nico sighed and sat down on one of the chairs that had been set down in preparation for the wedding.

“He’s just doing it as a favor for me. I just didn’t want to come home and be harped on and disappoint my father and Persephone.”

Reyna crossed her arms. “And what will you do if they find out? Or what about when you get home?”

Nico rubbed his neck, trying to massage the stress out of his body.

“I’m praying they don’t find out. And when this is over Jason and I will go back to barely talking but revolving around the same friend group.”

Reyna raised a perfectly done eyebrow. “And how will that work?”

“What do you mean?”

She sat down next to him and leaned forward. “You honestly think this is going to end so well that there will not be any awkwardness?”

Nico shrugged.

Reyna threw up her hands and sighed.

“I’m gone for a year, a year. And now you’re a socially inept mess.”

Nico grimaced. “Hey! I’ll have you know I have plenty of friends.”

Reyna shook her head. “I know, I know, but I worry about you.”

He looked down. “I know.” Once upon a time Nico would have been offended, but Reyna meant her sentiments sincerely and he was inclined to believe them and after a while even welcome them.

She put a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him, earnest and open. “You sure you’ll be good on your own again?”

He nodded and they got up to walk back.

As they emerged from the labyrinth it led out to the wide yard of the estate Jason ran to meet them.

Reyna smiled at him sickly sweet and while they may have only dated for a month back in high school, Jason knew this was her killer smile. It was the smile he had seen her wear before she had made a grown man cry in a bar six months ago. He was reasonably scared.

“Jason, take a walk with me.” She said.

At at that precise moment Piper popped up and grinned wickedly at Nico along with Leo.

“Yeah! Let us have some alone time with our main man Nico here.” Leo said, his elfish grin looked insidious in a way Nico was sure small latino twentysomething year olds had no right looking.

Reyna dragged Jason away to sit on the elegant patio while Leo and Piper walked with Nico between them on the long trail that led to the front yard of the mansion.

Reyna frowned at him as soon as they were out of sight.

“What are you playing at, Grace?”

He gulped.

“I’m sorry?”

“You will be if this is a game.” She crossed her arms and Jason was vaguely aware of how muscular and toned she was. Jason knew her threats would be followed through.

“I’m just here because Hazel said Nico needed someone to be his date for the week.”

She looked at him quizzically.

“And that is all? Really?”

Jason gulped. “Y-yeah.”

Reyna leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. “Fine. But remember that I used to be in the Marines, Jason.”

His eyes widened and perhaps he shivered in fear just a little, but no one needed to know that.

In the mean time Leo and Piper led Nico to the front yard where the wrap around porch overlooked the only part of the mostly rural estate outside of L.A.

“Jason really likes you, Nico.” Piper said. She looked at him suspiciously.

He nodded, finding that this part was easy. “I really like him, too.”

Leo nodded. “No, like, we mean really likes you. Like, didn’t shut up about this trip for a week, is constantly talking about you, and cannot shut up about it likes you.”

Nico wasn’t sure how to process that information so he nodded.

Piper sighed and looked out at the hills. “Just be careful, di Angelo. He deserves someone who will look after him because sometimes he won’t say it but he needs it, and he needs someone to look after too.”

Nico wished he had as intimate and caring friends as Jason does, because this felt less like a shovel talk and more like two concerned friends looking out for one of their closest friends. This once again proved Nico’s theory that Jason had attracted good things, because a person as good as he was just couldn’t not attract them.

Nico nodded. “I will. I’ll look after him.”

As Leo gave him a smile and patted him on the back and Piper gave him a one-armed hug he had never felt so guilty for lying.

**  
**  


They all joined Frank and Hazel in the TV room as they sat around a pile of bag and confetti and knick knacks.

Frank looked up at them in sadness and shame. “Please save me.”

Hazel gave him a light shove with her elbow but it lost the effect with her smiling.

Reyna turned to Piper and they immediately go to work, sitting on the floor across from them as they began to make the party favors. Jason was only partially surprised that there weren’t real puppies being given as party favors.

Leo looked at Jason and Nico and as they slowly backed out of the room arms reached around and gripped them tight.

“Just the boys I want to see!” Persephone said happily.

Jason looked at Nico and then at Leo and gulped.

Persephone dragged them away, having them spend the majority of the afternoon building the sitting area as well as the flower canopy that Hades and Persephone would be standing under as they said their vows.

Dinner came as everyone convened and Persephone laid out the dinner she had made while the boys had arranged her altar and seating.

Dinner, much like breakfast, was vastly different. The air seemed lighter, even Nico felt it as he took a seat next to his father and they nodded with small smiles at each other. It finally felt good, like there was a wedding four days away and not a funeral or an impending war between Hades and Nico.

Everyone ate quietly and once the dinner had finished they all retired to their respective rooms.

Nico followed after Jason and they sat in the room, quiet for a while, the silence wasn’t uncomfortable and Nico felt no reason to object to it.

“So your dad. . .” Jason trailed off awkwardly.

Nico nodded and gave him a small smile. “Yeah. I did like you said.”

Jason grinned, and pulled him into a hug. “That’s great!”

The impulsive contact shocked Nico as he awkwardly hugged back and Jason pulled away quickly.

He rubbed his neck nervously. “Ummm, sorry about that.”

Nico nodded. “It’s fine. Thanks.”

Jason nodded and Nico moved to the floor.

Jason frowned. “You don’t have to do that. You can take your bed, Nico.”

Nico just shook his head and laid on the floor looking up at Jason. “Then where would his royal highness sleep?”

His smirk lit up his eyes which seemed to have become a dark brown. Jason leaned over the bed and remembered how he had looked dressed to the nines and he was almost breathless once again.

“On the floor, duh.”

Nico just rolled his eyes and finally he shut out the lights.

“Good night, Jason.”


	4. Day Four: I Want To Do With You What The Spring Does With The Cherry Blossoms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demeter finally shows up because who could ever forget her?  
> Friends and family mettle in things that aren't their business and there's a Little Mermaid song because the author has sinned and doesn't regret a damn thing.  
> Enjoy!

“And when exactly did this young name show up in Nico’s life?!” Is the first thing Jason heard when he woke up the next morning. It came from right outside their door at nine in the morning from a voice that when not yelling about private business had the capability of sounding elegant.

“Mother, please, they’re sleeping.” Jason heard a soft voice reply, it could only be Persephone’s voice.

“Well it’s about time they got up!” He heard Persephone’s mother practically shout.

Jason hadn’t been bothered by the yelling so much, but he looked down to see if Nico had been unaffected by the shouting match that went on outside their door.

Nico looked up at him with a pained expression and whispered, “Demeter’s finally here.”

Jason wasn’t sure who that was, but he figured it could only lead to bad things.

“Should we get dressed and meet her?”

Nico nodded. “No, let’s sit here a bit longer.”

Jason let his head hang over the edge of the bed as Nico lay there in his cot. Nico closed his eyes, attempting to prolong whatever inevitable disaster would come from having Demeter here. Jason looked at him lying there. His eyebrows weren’t furrowed with frustration or anger or sorrow. In fact Nico’s face looked smooth, sloped in a sharp way that was accentuated by the piercing, tattoos, and haircut. Jason found himself profoundly attracted to the slope of his nose and the way his mouth opened a little to take in small breaths.

Nico opened his eyes and Jason had to pretend he hadn’t been looking at his friend’s brother in a very lustful, and extremely not straight, way.

Nico pushed himself to sit up. “Time to head into battle.”

Jason nodded. “Think she’ll believe it?”

Nico rolled his eyes. “She’ll be glad anyone came. She told me a week ago she was going to sock me if I went with Reyna.”

Jason looked at the door nervously where the voices were still having a discussion.

“I really hope this all works.”

Nico had to remind himself of the crucial fact that he had not actually been dating Jason. The last few days it had been easy, because he was a stranger that understood. But Nico had given him words and secrets he had never shared with anyone, except for Hazel. He had shown emotions that hadn’t surfaced since Bianca had died. More and more Nico found it hard to keep the line between fake and real separate, because for him, in any other lifetime or instance this wouldn’t happen. He wouldn’t be sitting in his bedroom laughing with a gorgeous boy he liked, who had liked him back for no other reason than because he simply was. Nico was a firm believer that things like that, they didn’t happen to him. Nico found that knowing that, acknowledging that, and coming to terms with that was harder to do because Jason was sitting there, in his bed, his blonde hair ruffled and looking utterly breathtaking and it couldn’t be fake.

Nico had a hard time telling himself that Jason had only done this as a favour to Hazel because he wanted so badly to believe it was real. Hazel and Reyna had been right. He wanted this to be right and real. He wanted to kiss Jason and let himself swim in things he wanted but knew he didn’t deserve. But thing was, Nico had started to believe he deserved things like that. Things like beautiful blonde biology majors who made corny jokes with sleep still lingering in their eyes, those were the things Nico had suffered for. Nico deserved them after years of having trouble coming to terms with his sexuality and crushes that ended in disasters and relationships that ended up even worse.

Nico smiled at him, hoping something in his eyes reassured Jason.

“Me too.”

Jason looked at him for a moment, startled by the pure profundity of his brown eyes. Jason wondered when they had gone from their dark, endless black to a brown that reminded Jason of warmth and freshly sown soil he had run his hands in when he was a kid.

After a moment Jason snapped out of it and looked around the room as if he had no idea where he was.

“So should we go meet her then?”

Nico sighed, a sigh that said that he’d rather be tied to the back of a motorcycle and dragged thirty miles in the dirt than see this woman.

“It’s your funeral.”

**  
**  


Jason Grace had only ever had one relative in his life. It had been his crazy aunt who had convinced his mother to give him to her in exchange for money. He knew how it sounded, which was why he had stayed away from her at the orphanage, distancing himself from his psycho aunt who had repeatedly tried to kidnap him, all by Thalia’s account.

But Demeter was nothing like that. Demeter was a well dressed, older woman with gray hairs in her tightly packed bun. Her eyebrow arched with grace on chocolate coloured skin and her entire presence just yelled demand.

Nico admired her somewhat. Sure since Persephone had shown up in their life she had followed in tow, ever the overbearing hen, but Nico admired her. She worked on a program to feed the poor, with the Peace Corps and despite how obnoxious and nosey she was, Nico knew she cared about him just a little. Nico remembered all the times she’d shown him wonders he couldn’t understand when he was younger. Persephone would go away with his father and she’d sit in the garden and show him how to care for the flowers. Demeter, in her own way, taught Nico how to care for delicate things in life, like relationships, and people.

He tried to remember this as Jason grabbed his hand and they opened up the door.

Immediately the argument stopped and the three adults in the hallway turned to them bug eyed.

The first to speak was Hades. “Now look what you’ve done, Demeter. You woke them.”

Nico was about to interject when Demeter scoffed.

“Ha! You shouldn’t have let them sleep in so late! I must see them and see who this Jason Grace is.”

Jason gulped.

He raised his hand that wasn’t entangled in Nico’s. “That would be me, ma’am.”

Demeter turned to him, examining him with her eyes. He felt like he was going through a very personal and invasive x-ray. Hades smiled wickedly at him from behind her and that scared him just as much if not even more.

She looked back up at him. “I suppose you’ll do. Although Nico, I am very disappointed you failed to mention him this last week I’ve been telling you to find a real date.”

Nico shrugged. “Wanted it to be a surprise.” was all he said and that seemed like an adequate response because she opened her arms wide.

“Now give your soon to-be-grandmother a hug.”

Nico went without hesitation and it seemed that Nico did know how to give hugs. Jason tried not to be a little offended by that.

When they pulled away she patted him on the arm. “Go get your sister. I do love seeing Hazel.”

Jason nodded at her nervously as he followed after Nico.

Hazel and Frank were intertwined when Nico and Jason peeked through the door. Jason stopped for a moment, looking at them. Their hands had reached for each other, or they had fallen asleep like that, but they seemed so whole. Jason looked over at Nico, who he’d noticed staring at him. Nico looked away quickly and blushed. He pushed past Jason and shook Frank and Hazel awake.

“Hazel. Frank. Get up. She’s here.” He whispered.

Apparently it wasn’t fast enough because as Frank and Hazel were sitting up, groggy from sleep, Demeter came barreling past Jason.

“Hazel!”

Hazel, the angel, had managed a sincere smile for Demeter. Nico always wondered how she did that.

“Grandmama.”

She hugged her tight while she was still in bed. “My sweet! You look amazing.”

“So do you.”

Demeter turned to Frank. “Young man! My, you certainly are cutting a fine form. Nice and sturdy,” she turned to look directly at Nico, “nice to know one of you is eating properly.”

Nico rolled his eyes. “We’ve been over this. I get your care packages every month. I eat all of it. I solemnly swear.”

Demeter narrowed her eyes at him. “Very well. I don’t want to have to come to New York just to force feed you, young man.”

Jason watched the entire exchange with a smile on his face. It felt more like a home. Even Hades wasn’t frowning in the doorway.

Persephone clapped her hands. “Well now that you are all awake, it’s time to wake the others and have breakfast.”

Persephone, followed by Hades and Demeter, went down to the kitchen while Hazel and Frank got dressed. Nico and Jason went to wake up Leo, Piper, and Reyna.

They went down to breakfast in a line, Leo complaining about bacon and sleeping in. Piper and Reyna helped Persephone set the table. When they all sat down Nico felt different. Every one of the dining chairs was filled, there was a hum of chatter and the clanking of utensils. Nico felt different because it felt whole. He watched Jason laugh as Leo made faces with the food in between his teeth and mouth. Piper and Reyna smiling at each other and talking about knives and Reyna’s time serving. Hades and Persephone were smiling at each other as Demeter went on about plans and catering and dress hemmings and table charts and the garden. Hazel and Frank just ate quietly, watching everyone in content silence and chiming in whenever they saw fit.

Jason nudged him, pulling him from his reverie.

“Hey, you alright?”

Nico turned and smiled.

It wasn’t a half smile, a smirk, a cheeky grin. It was wide. It showed his white teeth and the happiness that touched his brown eyes. It was a smile unlike anything Jason had ever seen before. Jason bit back the gasp lingering in the back of his throat. It wasn’t blinding a way Jason had ever predicted it. It seemed whole, fulfilled, content. Jason decided that anything less than this smile he just wouldn’t accept.

“I’ve never felt better.”

**  
**  


Halfway through their long breakfast, the longest and most pleasant breakfast Nico had in a long time, Demeter turned her sights on Jason and Nico.

_Oh no._

“So Jason, what do you want with our Nico here?”

The entirety of the table suddenly went silent. Hades, Persephone, Reyna, and Hazel looked at him in rapt attention, while Frank, Leo, and Piper just continued eating and watching the conversation unfold.

Jason gulped and looked around, even Nico watched him. He figured that perhaps honesty would be best here. Besides, Nico and Hazel and Frank and Reyna would never even question it, knowing it was all part of this convoluted plan to get Nico accepted that had turned into so much more.

“Well, ma’am, I don’t really want anything. I’ll take what he gives and me and it’s enough.”

Demeter narrowed her eyes at him. “And if it isn’t?”

Jason tried for his most innocent look. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Demeter looked at him for a moment and he wondered if he was sweating. Was it possible to pass out from nervousness at meeting in-laws? He would definitely have to look into that soon. It seemed like a very real possibility.

Eventually she blinked and raised her head haughtily. “Hmm.” was all she said and Jason wasn’t sure if she wasn’t going to kill him in his sleep for not being good enough for her grandson.

The table went back to it’s chatter and clatter. Jason felt himself being pulled up from his seat as Nico yanked him into the kitchen.

Jason let out a deep sigh.

“She bought that, right? Please tell me she bought it.”

Nico chuckled. “Who knew Jason Grace would fall at the hands of an old lady.”

Jason nodded and pointed to Demeter through the kitchen. “No, that is no regular old lady and you know it. Not regular at all.”

Nico chuckled but his gaze softened. “You did great. Perfect.”

You are, Jason thought.

“Thanks.” Jason said.

The late morning melded into noon and Nico and Jason were pulled away to do different things. Jason was told to go with Hades, Leo, and Frank as they were ordered to arrange the seating charts and take the seating cards to get printed and to get all the tableware polished. Persephone and Hades had agreed that very minimal staff would be used for the preparations until the day of. Demeter dragged Nico away to begin the garden decorations. Reyna, Piper, and Hazel were assigned the brilliant task of hemming their bridesmaids dresses and Persephone’s wedding gown.

Demeter was stringing along a canopy of bellflowers when Nico sighed as he trimmed the hedges of the clearing where his father and Persephone would be saying their vows in less than three days.

“Say it. You know you want to.”

Demeter let out a huge sigh. She sounded as though she had been wound and gagged and was finally allowed to breathe.

“I have nothing to say. . .”

He rolled his eyes.

“But really dear! You must keep this one! No more nonsense with that Jackson boy. He was bound to bring you nothing but heartbreak. This one has some spunk. It’s good for you.”

Nico continued to trim the gnarly bushes. “I know.”

Demeter looked down at him from her position on the ladder. “Really, boy, don’t stick with people who do not deserve it. As I always say daunting tasks are untilled, tough soil, which must be worked. That goes the same for love.”

Nico made a noise of surprise. “Who said we love each other?”

Demeter scoffed and went back to her stringed canopies. “And I suppose it’s a casual thing? This six month thing?”

Nico shrugged. “It could be.”

“Or not. You’re not fooling anyone, dear. Try not to be so obtuse, it’s not a good look for you.”

Nico huffed and finished clipping the hedges. He got a ladder and began to string up the Egyptian Star Clusters that had been growing wildly in the garden for the event. He was moving on to the white and blue gardenias when Jason came into the clearing.

“Hey, Leo sent me to check up on you beca-”

He was cut short when he saw Nico stretching up in the ladder. The flowers hung gracefully and they seemed to waved with the soft wind. Jason had to remind himself that no, this was not an anime, and Nico should not look that attractive while stringing up flowers under a canopy of flowers and lights. He most definitely was not going to bring up the way Nico’s shirt rode up and dear god he had forgotten why he had even come in the first place. He could say it was to see Nico and make it sound plausible right? They were dating after all.

“Do take a photo, dear. It’ll last longer.” Demeter said while she focused on fixing the canopy.

He sputtered but Hazel suddenly appeared at his side.

“Already on it, grandmama.” She zeroed in on Nico and snapped the photo.

The flash distracted Nico from where he hummed and he turned to see Jason and Hazel standing there.

“Hey!”

Hazel shrugged, attempting to look sheepish. “Sorry! I found my old camera. Had to test it out.”

Nico let out a huffed but he went back to his work.

Hazel turned to Jason and showed him the display screen of the camera to find that it looked exactly the way Jason had pictured it in his head.

Hazel waggled her eyebrows and Jason blushed.

“Anyway, Leo told me to see if you needed help.”

Nico stepped down from his ladder and Demeter was doing the same.

“We’ve just about finished. Let us go see where my daughter has run off to.”

Hazel, Nico, and Jason followed behind her like obedient ducklings.

They were walking out of the garden maze as Demeter sighed.

“The last time that girl wandered off she ended up in Los Angeles and engaged to your father! Did I mention how rightfully wretched it was to say that ‘Hades’ and Persephone were getting married? As if she were my kidnapped daughter! And she might as well have been!”

Demeter went on as the walked into the house and Nico just chuckled next to Jason. They found her in her separate bedroom, Piper and Reyna flitting around her.

Piper looked over at Nico and Jason. “No men allowed here! You two, get out!”

Persephone nodded. “I hate to say it, but Piper is correct. Otherwise your father will wander in here.”

Demeter turned to them as she took a needle and measuring tape from Piper. “Speaking of which, go see what that cretin is doing. We can’t have him messing up the simplest of tasks.”

Persephone frowned. “Mother, we talked about this-”

Demeter waved a hand nonchalantly. “Yes, yes, fine. Go see what Hayden is doing. Run along now.”

Nico and Jason turned just as the door slammed shut and they looked at each other.

“What now?” Jason said.

Nico sighed. “Let’s make sure my father didn’t mess up those seating cards.”

**  
**  


Hades turned to Nico.

“My son, please. I have no idea what your grandmother is doing. I have no idea of anything. Weddings cannot be this complicated. I run an international business for fuck’s sake.”

Nico let himself grin a bit at the desperation in his father’s voice.

“Have you chosen the font, card lining, and paper selection?”

Hades frowned down at the different types of paper. Leo looked over at Jason and clutched his shirt dramatically.

“You gotta help me man. You gotta. I just looked at fifteen different shades of white and beige, I’m blind. I cannot see anything beyond cliche and tacky wedding seating cards.”

Jason laughed and pried his hand away. “Leo it can’t be that bad.”

It was that bad.

Two hours later and they had finally managed to get the directions of Persephone’s order right and went to get them printed and come back in time for a late lunch.

Frank rubbed his eyes as they went inside of the house. “I never want to experience that again.”

Leo groaned in response and Jason and Nico looked at each other and just sighed.

They flopped down at the chairs beside the island counter in the kitchen.

Persephone seemed to appear out of nowhere and gave Hades a grateful kiss.

“Thank you for doing the errand, dear.”

Leo gagged. “Oh, ugh, ew. Gross. Come on, am I the only single guy here? Give a man a break.”

Hades had seemed more than exhausted when he walked in the house, but at the contact of Persephone he seemed to perk up as if he had enjoyed doing her terrible, insidious errands. Nico did not understand straight people.

Demeter came into the kitchen along with Hazel, Reyna, and Piper. They all took chairs and sat beside the boys.

Persephone smiled at them. “Now, lunch?”

It was simple, sandwiches and chips and Nico actually ate every last bit of it.

**  
**  


At four Hades, Persephone, and Demeter banished the group to the movie room as they had legalities to work out with the wedding, which couldn’t afford any distractions.

They settled in to watch a movie on the theater-grade TV.

Nico settled in between Reyna and Hazel and Leo nodded in disappointment.

“Not cool, man. Leaving Jason without some lovin’ and cuddling? Just cold.”

Nico looked over at Jason who blushed furiously and punched Leo in the arm.

“Knock it off, man.”

Leo rubbed his arm. “Ow, crap. Jason I am merely helping you get your mack on. I would be an imperfect wingman if I did not.”

Piper sighed and shoved Leo into a spot on the lush couches. “Leo, just shut up.”

Piper turned to Nico and nodded with a roll of her eyes. “Don’t move because Leo said so. Leo behaves like a five year old.”

“Hey! I would never!”

Piper gave him a look. “Shut it.”

Leo crossed his arms, grumbling. “Fine.”

The lights dimmed as the movie started and Reyna leaned in.

“They don’t know it’s fake, do they?”

Nico frowned and turned to her as he whispered, “No.”

She sighed and leaned in as she say strange looking CGI turtles fight on screen. “It’s your funeral.”

Nico tried to let the seat absorb him as he looked over and Piper gave him a dorky thumbs up and a smile.

“Don’t I know it.”

They were halfway through the strange movie Nico is pretty sure is the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles when he decided he’d had enough of the vaguely unsettling humanoid turtles. He got up silently and everyone but Jason was focused on the movie. The moment Nico slipped out of the door Jason followed and Leo whistled loudly.

“You go get your man!”

Jason thought that maybe if they weren’t friends since preschool he might have killed Leo years before.

Once they stood in the well lit hallway that was a contrast of the dark room, Jason gripped him by the wrist as he walked away.

“Hey, everything alright?”

Nico turned to him and nodded.  

“Yeah, just not interested in watching a movie about turtles for two hours.”

Jason smiled at him. “Let’s take a walk in the garden.”

Outside it was cool, an unseasonably cool week in the middle of May for Los Angeles. They walked through the maze and Jason had gotten used to it. The way the hedges were trimmed almost perfectly and the flowers bloomed as though to direct them through the maze of floral groups, and it seemed oddly beautiful in a way Jason had never really appreciated before.

They walked without saying anything for a while.

“What’ll happen when Sunday comes?” Jason asked.

Nico shrugged.

Jason looked on ahead and gulped. Right. Fake relationship. Very much fictional and almost entirely made up of romantic interactions that were faked or imagined.

Jason wondered what it would take to get Nico to understand how serious he was, but Jason couldn’t, wouldn’t, push him. He understood the boundaries Nico had set around himself and would respect them.

Just before Nico was poised to say something suddenly music was playing around them.

**_“There you see her_ **

**_Sitting there across the way_ **

**_She don’t got a lot to say_ **

**_But there’s something about her_ **

**_And you don’t know why_ **

**_But you’re dying to try_ **

**_You wanna kiss the girl.”_ **

Nico looked around and then looked at Jason with what looked like contempt and confusion.

Jason began to wave his hands and nodded vehemently. “I swear this isn’t me! I-I-” He was cut off by the music.

_**“Yes, you want her** _

_**Look at her, you know you do** _

_**It’s possible she wants you, too** _

_**There is one way to ask her** _

_**It don’t take a word** _

_**Not a single word** _

_**Go on and kiss the girl.”** _

Jason knew he was blushing profusely and had it not been for the crazy internal panic going on inside he he would have almost missed the way Nico’s ears and face had gone cherry red.

Jason looked around for the source of the music and found Reyna, Leo, Piper, Frank, and Hazel all giggling from the bushes behind them.

Reyna held mirth in her eyes that sparked fear in Jason.

Nico looked over at them, and gulped. His heart pounded, and he tried to control the blood that rushed to his face. It didn’t work and he knew it too. He was going to kill Hazel. Then he was going to go head to head with Reyna. He was sure he could take her.

Hazel grinned at them and made a motion as if to shoo them together.

_**“Sha-la-la-la-la-la** _

_**My, oh, my** _

_**Look at the boy too shy,”**_ Jason stuttered as he heard the music continue and turned to Nico who, for some reason, had begun to blush bright red and glare down his friends. Oh dear, this could not be happening. Nico couldn’t want that, he knew he didn’t. The music still played and he stared between his friends and Nico who looked at him as though he was waiting for him to move from his statue-like state.

**_“He ain’t gonna kiss the girl_ **

**_Sha-la-la-la-la-la_ **

**_Ain’t that sad_ **

**_Ain’t it shame, too bad_ **

**_You gonna miss the girl.”_ **

Jason couldn’t believe this. His heart pounded in his ears. He didn’t know why it bothered him so much. Scratch that, he knew. It was because they had never kissed, and Jason, big, stupid idiot that he was, had thought that they could get away with it this entire week being here. Another reason, completely selfish and internal really, was that Jason had hoped that their first kiss would be real. It would be later on, when Jason understood Nico, had taken him on dates he deserved and bought him things no one else had before, like roses and chocolate and other stupidly romantic and over sincere gifts.

“I-I wouldn’t. . . I mean, to prove it to Piper and Leo. I wouldn’t mind.” Nico whispered from beside him.

He turned to look down at him and frowned.

“Don’t feel like you need to do it just because our friends are idiots.”

Nico shrugged. “We have to get used to it as some point.”

Jason looked back at his friends still giggling. His heart felt like it was running a marathon while also having dropped to the pit of his stomach. Jason wondered how he hadn’t thrown up yet.

**_“Sha-la-la-la-la-la_ **

**_Don’t be scared_ **

**_You got the mood prepared_ **

**_Go on and kiss the girl.”_**   Piper, Reyna, Leo, Hazel, and Frank sang loudly at them as Jason and Nico seemed to drift closer.

_**“Sha-la-la-la-la-la** _

_**Don’t stop now** _

_**Don’t try to hide it how** _

_**You wanna kiss the girl.”** _

Nico watched Jason turn to him. He knew what was coming, had tried to prepare himself for it. But his heart was in overdrive. He wondered if Jason would feel it when they kissed. He wondered if Jason had put two and two together and figured out that Nico had sort of become in love with him. He wondered if-

Jason pulled him close. His hands gripped both sides of Nico’s face.

Jason looked in his eyes and Nico wondered if it was possible from intense blue eyes. He would really need to look that up later.

Jason leaned in and kiss him fiercely and for a moment neither of them could think, could breathe, could move from where their lips connected. Their heartbeats were hammering and vibrated between their lips. Nico leaned in closer, running his hand through Jason’s hair while the other was squeezed between them across his chest. He felt Jason heart beating like a hummingbird. Jason tried to focus on pulling back, he really did. But Nico smelled like flowers, and spices from something Jason couldn’t detect, and his face was sharp just the way Jason had predicted, but it was soft and warm too. Jason’s hands moved to Nico’s hips and suddenly they were drifting apart as the song came to end.

They stared at each other for a moment before jumping apart as their friends came laughing from the bushes.

“Oh my god! Your faces!” Leo guffawed.

Jason frowned at him. “I hate you.”

Leo chuckled and clapped him on the back. “Please, you couldn’t hate anyone after the making out you two just did.”

Reyna grinned at Nico. He had the slight impulse to choke her. “I’m afraid I have to agree with Leo, that was certainly quite the display.”

Jason laughed nervously and took Nico’s hand. He was still too shell shocked to say much of anything.

“Yeah well, we are dating. What did you expect?”

Piper giggled. “Certainly not that.”

Jason rolled his eyes and looked at Nico.

“Let’s go.”

Nico nodded and they walked away, hand in hand, indignantly.

Hazel and Frank smiled at each other.

Jason huffed angrily when the back porch was in view.

“They had no right to do that.”

Nico watched him rant and rave, his hands no longer at his side but flailing.

“I mean, can’t everyone just stop mettling for, like, five minutes?! I mean sure Hazel, Frank, and Reyna know it’s fake, but why push it? And Piper and Leo!”

Jason was walking onto the back porch when he noticed nico had stood at the bottom of the steps.

Jason furrowed his eyebrows. “What’s wrong, Nico?”

Nico looked as if he had wanted to say something, the exact look before they had been interrupted by their friends. But Nico just nodded and walked up the steps.

“Nothing.”

Jason squeezed his shoulder. “You sure?”

And Nico wanted to say no, watched to ask what that kiss had meant and if it had been fake or honest. He wanted to say so many things and have the clear cut answers, but it wasn’t that easy. Jason had expressed his frustration at their kiss and Nico figured it was easier to just say nothing at all.

“Yeah.” He said softly, with a small smile.

**  
**  


Dinner was a loud and happy time for everyone. Hades had gone back to his study so Persephone sat at the head of the table as they had a late dinner. When everyone was stuffed Demeter and Persephone went to talk in the entertainment room and the group of friends decided to retire to bed.

They winked when Jason and Nico went to bed. Leo even wolf whistled and Jason made a mental note to choke him in his sleep.

They didn’t say anything as they changed for bed. Nico began to undress and Jason found himself blushing and staring.

Nico looked up from pulling on his pajama bottoms to find him staring.

“What? What’s wrong?”

Jason just nodded and pulled on his beaten t-shirt that he used for sleeping in.

“Nothing.”

Nico gulped when he saw Jason stretch the shirt over his head and pull it on and the sinew muscles followed his movements.

They both lay down, Jason on the bed and Nico on the floor, when they turned the lights out.

Time passed by the tick of the clock on the wall and Jason just stared at the ceiling.

“Nico?” He whispered.

“What?”

He continued to stare at the ceiling.

“You should sleep on your own bed.”

Nico sighed. “We’ve talked about this, Jason.”

Jason nodded even though Nico couldn’t see it.

“I know, but you should.”

Nico let out a heavy sighed his head popped up. “Fine.”

They shuffled a bit until Nico settled in next to Jason and they both lay flat, staring at the ceiling. Nico found it hard to close his eyes, to stop his pulse from racing. He couldn’t stop imagining how it had felt to stand so close to Jason, and to kiss him, and to smell that shampoo and the smell of fruits and the taste of mint on his breath. Nico cursed his memory skills.

Jason turned his head and looked at Nico. Nico kept his face looking at the ceiling, unsure if he’d have the control to look at Jason not kiss him a second time.  

“I liked kissing you.” Jason said softly.

Nico gulped, his eyes straining to look forward.

“Me too.”

Jason turned to look at the ceiling and Nico turned his head. In the purple shadows of the night Jason’s pale skin seemed to stand out and the scar above his lip seemed noticeable even then.

“How did you get that scar?”

Jason chuckled and turned to him. “I tried to eat a stapler when I was a baby.”

It was a simple sentence, accompanied with a shy smile and Nico found it hard to look away. Jason’s blue eyes seemed to glow from the small gleam of moonlight that streamed through Nico’s curtains.

Jason looked at Nico and was surprised at how the moonlight made a halo around his pitch black hair. Nico let out a chuckle, which caused Jason to smile brightly at him.

It wasn’t possibly. It really should not have been. It had been four days and four nights. Sure there had been a lot going on and a lot of emotional things had happened. But It had been two years before that. Two years of no talking, but lurking, asking in passing, and barely knowing the name of a boy he had seen once. Jason refused to believe that all it had taken was four days to fall in love with Nico di Angelo. Jason had always assumed that if he had ever found ‘the one’ it would be a slow build. It would consist of dates and flirting and walks home where they chatted and laughed. Jason had always thought it would be different from falling in love with a girl, that it would be brutish, but soft and sincere in a way he had not been with girls. Jason wasn’t sure he had a type of guy, but at this point he realized he didn’t. His type was Nico di Angelo, and only him.

Jason thought it sappy and kind of fast and surprising. But looking at Nico, with a ghost of a smile on his lips, it wasn’t surprising at all. It was. . . easy. It was sincere and easy, and in four days Jason found out things about Nico he was sure he had never given out to people easily. Jason learned these past days that Nico did not show weakness easily. Jason just smiled back, fighting the urge to kiss him again, just a chaste peck on the lips.

Nico sighed and closed his eyes. “Good night, Jason Grace.”

Jason Grace watched him drift off and heard his breathing slow.

“Good night, Nico di Angelo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well do I regret any part of this? Hell no.  
> Also I always believed Nico would be the kind of person where you could make out with him and he'd still be like "do u like me doe" unless you state it outright. He's my lovable idiot like that.


	5. Day Five: We Should Just Kiss Like Real People Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title of the chapter from Hozier's Like Real People Do
> 
> In which I am constantly trying to promote Bisexual Reyna, relatives show up, and maybe love confessions aren't as easy as Jason thought they could be.  
> (NEWLY EDITED FOR REASONS)

“NICOOOOO!”

Nico shot up out of bed. He and Jason had drifted close to each other as they slept, so when Nico shot up in shock Jason had opened his eyes groggily.

There was a banging at the door, which opened without the chance for either of them to say anything.

Demeter waved at him rapidly.

“Hurry up, boy! We have to go over your pieces and your suit and the rehearsal dinner tonight and- BOY! UP. NOW. Stop dilly dallying!”

Nico got up slowly and pulled on clothes that had been laying around. He turned to Jason who just looked at Demeter in fear and contempt.

“Go back to bed, sleep. I’ll see you later.”

Jason turned to him and gave him a sleepy smile. Oh dear god. “Definitely.”

Nico nodded and followed after Demeter.

She was practically jogging through the halls as he saw men in suits and women run around and he realized they were the people here to set up the rehearsal dinner. She looked as though she hadn’t slept since the night before but she still looked impeccable.

“You have no idea how late you slept in! You have to learn the piece for my daughter and your father’s first dance.”

Nico rolled his eyes and rolled up the sleeves to the collared shirt he had pulled on when he left the room. He wondered if Jason had fallen back into sleep, had let his eyes shut and parted his lips while he breathed softly like Nico had watched him do when he drifted off into a deep sleep.

“It’ll be fine. Piano has always been easy.”

Demeter scoffed. “I don’t care how easy it’s been boy. I was the one who taught you. We must get this perfect!”

Nico sighed. “I know, Grandmama. It will be.”

She burst through the elegant and large music room doors. The tall windows with ornate window sills and glass panes that expanded from the ceiling to the floor let in golden light from the morning.

Nico looked at the glossy black piano that stood at the center. He walked forward, running his hands along the keys of the piano. He cracked his knuckles and settled down, leafing through the sheet music. They played and practiced for what seemed like hours but in reality it had only been two.

 

Jason woke up once again to find the sheets empty. He changed, went down to the kitchen to find breakfast was being served by a staff, to which he nodded politely and once he was done left with a rushed, but polite, thank you. He wandered for a while, not looking for anything in particular but just trying to distract himself until the others woke up. Eventually he made his way to the music room, following the sound of a piano when he caught the noise from down the hall.

The light streamed in serenely as Demeter stood beside Nico playing the piano. He was swaying with the sounds as though his impulse was to move with the wind as it vibrated with sweet melodies. His face, though covered slightly by his fringe, was bathed in the yellow light of morning. His shoulders seemed relaxed and loose. His fingers moved with a gracefulness Jason had never seen before. For a brief moment Jason wondered what it would be like to have those hands on him, against him, wondered if they’d be as gentle as they looked.

Blushing from the thought he slipped into the room and sat down where no one would see him. He watched Nico play a song he’d never heard before.

And then Nico began to sing. Dear god Jason had never seen anything like it. His voice was soft, rough and coarse in a way Jason thought sounded absolutely perfect, absolutely Nico. Demeter encouraged him, singing with him and the song sounded as though it was a duet.

**_“We lived our little drama, we kissed in a field of white/_ **

**_And stars fell on Alabama last night/_ **

**_I can't forget the glamor, your eyes held a tender light/_ **

**_And stars fell on Alabama last night.”_** Nico sang softly at the center of golden light.

“He’s brilliant, isn’t he?”

Jason turned quickly from his chair by the door to find Reyna looking on at Nico fondly.

Jason turned to the boy with olive skin bathed in the sounds of sunlight. “Yeah. He really is.”

He momentarily forgot that he wasn’t maintaining the facade when Reyna raised an eyebrow and he stammered.

“I-I m-mean. . .”

She chuckled. “Calm down, Grace. Haven’t seen you this flustered since we broke up.”

Jason furrowed his eyebrows and frowned for a moment. That had been a tender subject. Once upon a time during his junior and senior year of high school Jason had believed that he was going to be Reyna for a very long time. She was fierce, unforgivably majestic, and was a steadfast woman. Jason had found it very easy to love her too, but Reyna hadn’t felt right. It felt like a sock he wore but didn’t fit into, because he couldn’t fill the spaces Reyna needed him to. They had broken it off mutually, trying to avoid the most heartbreak possible. Reyna had certainly tried to get over it, get over loving someone who wasn’t just right. She had joined the Marine Corps, had gone on a tour and come back in time for this wedding. Her muscles had become more toned, she was built like an Amazon warrior, and Jason felt so terrible for not finding this fierce, strong, patient, loyal, and kind woman the right fit.

Reyna rolled her eyes and elbowed him a bit. “Earth to Grace. Stop doing the pity thing. It was ages ago.”

Her smirk didn’t hold pain the way it used to, but was now genuinely amused. Jason nodded and turned to look at Nico playing the piano.

“He’s been playing it since he was ten. Bianca thought it was a good idea.”

Jason nodded, transfixed on golden light, golden noise, and the boy who had the power to wield it all with his fingertips.

“He’s amazing at it.” Jason said.

Reyna smiled then, a wide smile full of pride. “He is. The best one I know. If he wasn’t majoring writing I would have loved to see him major in music.”

Suddenly the song came to an end, Jason subconsciously started clapping and Reyna joined in. Nico looked up suddenly, but Demeter was actually smiling at them and Jason found that she looked really beautiful when she honestly smiled.

Demeter bowed dramatically. “Why thank you dears. I taught him everything he knows.”

Nico rolled his eyes and when she slapped him on the shoulder he hastily bowed.

Jason smiled at him. “That was brilliant.”

Nico smiled shyly at him. “Thanks.”

Reyna walked between them and draped her arms around them. “Yes, yes, we all understand you are completely insane about each other. But there are other things we have to do.”

Demeter seemed to realize how long she’d stayed playing with Nico and her eyes widened in fear. “Oh right! Of course! How long did we practice? Two hours, oh dear. Let’s go then, children! Now!”

They followed behind her while she walked through the hall, banging on doors, waking up everyone along the way and peeping in.

They were all gathered in the living room half an hour later. Persephone and Hades looked tired beyond belief and Nico wondered how late they had stayed up finalizing things for the wedding tomorrow. Piper and Leo, Jason was convinced, were about to turn into zombies any moment. Hazel and Frank looked happy to be awake. Although Nico was sure that was more to do with their gooey lovestruck companionship than anything else.

Demeter clapped her hands and an assistant holding ten coffees went around and gave them each one, which seemed to be their own personal orders.

“Thank you.” Nico said to the assistant. He smiled kindly at him.

Demeter turned to her assistant where he joined her side. “This is Demophoon, my personal assistant and a fine one he is. He will assign you all your schedules for the day. We have a busy day ahead of us.” As she spoke Demophoon went around handing them each sheets of papers.

Hades grumbled but Demeter just turned to him. “And your siblings will be arriving in eight hours. We must be prepared.”

Nico knew about all his aunts and uncles and cousins and nieces and nephews. A lot of people had expected that beside Bianca and Maria the two didn’t have a large family family, but in truth they did. It was a large family that had so many people it was countless and boundless. Jason was actually surprised by that.

Demeter turned to Jason and Nico.

“I need to have a private conversation with you both.”

They both turned to each other and gulped.

Leo and Frank were dragged off to set up the patio, despite the workers who actually focused primarily on the dinner itself and the set up and polishing of glass and silverware and finally using the ball room at the end of the west wing of the house. Nico would never stop rolling his eyes at how pretentious that sounded.

Piper, Reyna, and Persephone were told to collect flowers and go out onto the back patio and string lights and flowers and generally decorate it for the guests. The patio wrapped around the wide and tall doors of the ballroom. Nico was sure that if Persephone was left alone with women who would dote on her she’d make it look amazing.

Hazel and Hades were told to go to his study and begin signing off the many things that sat on Hades’ desk.

Jason and Nico followed after her as she turned into an unoccupied room and as they entered she turned quickly and locked it.

“What will we be doing with you two?”

Nico turned to Jason with a confused look. “Sorry, we-”

Demeter began to pace, talking mostly to herself.

“Quite a lot of people are coming to this rehearsal dinner. And I assume not everyone is going to approve.”

This made Jason and Nico stop. They both turned to her.

“Excuse me?” Nico said quietly.

Demeter gave him a look. “Oh come now, Nico, surely you knew this might be a problem.”

Of course it was a problem. Damned if he did, damned if he didn’t. Nico felt something snap in him. Because no matter how hard he tried, no matter who came home with him, no matter what he’d do he’d always be the outcast. He could try, pretend that things were good, but they wouldn’t be. Nico had always been the smallest, the weirdest, the loneliest. Nico had thought bringing home a tall, blond superhero type of boyfriend would make some of them approve but it wouldn’t. He’d be marginalized just like always.

Nico furrowed his eyebrows. “A problem? You mean my gayness is going to be a problem?”

Demeter sighed, giving him a sympathetic look. “Darling, you know that’s not what I meant.”

Nico tightened his grip on Jason instinctively and Jason watched him angrily defend himself.

“Then what did you mean? Because there is no other way that could be meant, Demeter.”

She frowned. “ I am trying to help, Nico.”

He stepped forward. “I don’t need help. I’m not in trouble. If people have problems with me fucking a dude then that’s their problems to deal with, not mine.”

He pulled away from Jason and unlocked the door, leaving with a slam.

She sighed as Jason watched her. She turned to him and smiled sadly.

“He’s always been a terribly excitable boy. Surely you know what I mean.”

He nodded.

She turned and looked at the door sadly. “I just want him to be accepted. He is always so alone.”

Jason nodded and sighed. She looked at him in confusion as he began to follow after him. He hadn’t. Not when he was younger, or when Hazel had come, or when Jason had hovered in the background. Nico had always had people hovering around the edges of his life, ready to defend him at any given chance, ready to fight for him and protect him. Nico had never been alone. Jason turned, hand on the door.

“Didn’t you realize? He never has been.”

And he took off running down the hall.

 

Nico was storming down the hall, seething, when Jason ran up to him.

“Nico! Wait up!”

Nico didn’t turn, didn’t say a word, just stood still, because he couldn’t trust himself to say words correctly.

Jason saw him, red to the tips of his ears in rage, and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

Nico shied away. “Just- can you just stop? Can you stop with the doting boyfriend act for, like, five seconds?”

Jason frowned. “Nico-”

He just sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I get it, okay? You want everyone to believe us, but I can’t. . . you just. . .”

His words were cut short because he couldn’t find the words to say at all. He couldn’t say that he wanted Jason to stop because it was starting to feel real, like they had blurred the line of their own fiction and what was reality. Nico couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t stand the lying and pretending anymore, on top of the ostracization. It was just endless piles of bullshit.

Jason let his hand fall to his side, and Nico was pretty convinced it had fallen sadly, like his arm was disappointed that it couldn’t comfort Nico. Jason fucking Grace.

Jason sighed. “I-I. . .” Now was the time to say it.

Nico stared at him expectantly.

“I. . .”

Now was the time to say it. Say it, Grace, just say it. It would be as easy as letting out a breath, as natural as walking.

“I-I. . . I’m sorry.” He choked.

Nico just nodded.

Jason tried to get him to look at him.

“I’m sorry that no matter what you do your family won’t accept you. I’m sorry. It sucks and I want to help, which why I’m here. I care about you, and that part isn’t fake. You gotta believe that it isn’t.”

And that was probably the closest to a love confession Jason Grace would ever get to in his cowardly life. Just sad.

Nico nodded, and he seemed comforted by the words. And he was. Nico appreciated them, cherished them, because even if Jason Grace couldn’t or wouldn’t love him in the way Nico loved him, it was good enough. It was good enough that he cared about him.

Jason smiled at him softly. “Good. Now, wanna go mess up the tracks for the music tonight?”

Nico let out a small laugh and began to run towards the ballroom. “Last one there takes the blame!”

 

Nico and Jason were gathered up after spending the day ending up helping Persephone, Piper, and Reyna. They had snuck into the ballroom but the moment Reyna spotted them from the patio they were trapped.

At noon Demeter showed up to let them know lunch was in order. She pulled Nico aside and apologized profusely.

“My dear boy, I am so sorry!” She said, giving him her saddest eyes.

He just nodded.

“And really you must understand that we’re not ashamed of you! I only want to protect you from our family. And your family. We know how they’re like and I really-”

“It’s okay, Grandmama.” Nico said softly.

She sighed and pulled him into a vice grip. She smelled like cocoa butter and an expensive perfume that Nico loved smelling on her. He felt silly thinking she would never have accepted him.

“My boy. Brilliant. You must understand that. Brilliant like dark fields of lavender.”

He just chuckled into the hug.

When they went to have lunch everyone was gathered in the kitchen once more, standing and each having been given their own meals by the staff that buzzed around trying to perfect everything.

Hades looked at the young adults. “Now, we will be having a few of my business partners over. Only the very few that I approve of. And for all intents and purposes I would like for this to be as formal as we can without it being uncomfortable.”

Persephone smiled at them. “Really no ballgowns or stiff suits, those are for tomorrow. Tonight just dress nice, and be relaxed.”

Hades turned to Nico. Nico blushed because it had been a habit of his to ruin galas and formal events by drudging along or being dressed completely out of place.

“Nico, we must have a talk.”

A lot of people wanted to do talking, dammit.

They all left to get ready, their relatives coming in four hours, and Nico stayed behind. Jason lingered but Nico just shoved him out the doorway. “Go.” He had said simply. Jason listened but reluctantly so.

Hades looked at Nico once the room had emptied. out. “Take a walk with me.”

They walked for a long time, neither of them saying anything until they were finally in front of a door Nico recognized immediately.

“What are we doing in front of mother’s room?”

It had been Maria di Angelo’s private study, a room she would stay in for hours when work was busy. Those had been days when Hades and Maria had changed schedules so that they could be with their children enough. It changed when Maria got sick. It was her medical room. It was the room she would lay in for days on end, smelling no longer like the wildflowers she grew in the backyard, but like sterilized needles and rubbing alcohol.

Hades opened the door and Nico wasn’t sure what he had expected. Maybe a shrine in his mother’s name, lots of candles scattered and locks of hairs, but it wasn’t that. It wasn’t decked out the way it had been before she got sick, with little tokens from her life in Italy before she and Hayden had come to America. It was a simple room. It had a bed made for a guest, but the difference was that this room was too personal for a guest. Her afghan, the one Nico remembered on days when he was chilled to the bones in his apartment, lay folded at the end of the bed. A picture of a boy and a girl hung on one wall. The boy looked grumpy, eyebrows furrowed, but his eyes looked at the girl beside him with affection. The girl wore a lacy sundress with her hands held behind her back as if she had a trick in the palm of her hand. She was grinning widely at the camera.

“That’s mom.” Nico said in awe.

Hades walked towards him. He hadn’t even realized he’d crossed the room.

“Back in Italy. Milan. We lived in a poor village an hour outside of Milan.”

Nico looked around at the other things in the room. The dresser was made of solid oak with simple carving and on top of it lay a silver hairbrush, a pair of gloves, and a photo stood of Hayden in a tux and beside him his mother, years older, but with that glint in her eyes that told you she had a secret. She looked beautiful with the face of an ageless movie star. She wore a lace dress and Nico loved the way she smiled back at him.

“Why are we here?” Nico said, turning around to speak to Hades.

Hades sighed and sat on the bed, running his hand over the afghan.

“We- well, erm, I have quite a lot to make up for Nico. And despite what you may think you are in fact my closest family.”

Nico nodded. “I understand.”

He looked at the photo that hung on the wall. “You mother would want us to stop fighting. She hated seeing you upset.”

Nico sighed. “I thought we weren’t fighting anymore.”

Hades nodded. “We aren’t. That much I will promise you, my boy.”

Nico nodded, glad it had been said out loud.

Hades sighed. “I bring you here, because, in front of your mother, I want to ask you to stand beside me at the altar.”

Nico froze.

Hades went on nervously. “Now I know I cannot ask things of you yet, and I wish not to ask them from you, but this. . . It would mean the world to Persephone, and admittedly to me, if you would be the best man beside me.”

Nico stood there.

Hades looked at him. “Tell me something, boy.”

Nico spoke slowly as if in a trance. “Best. . . Man?”

Hades stood and put a hand on his shoulder which still did nothing to bring him out of his confused haze.

“You are the best man I know, son. I am proud and arrogant and stubborn. You are a result of your mother and I. Even Bianca had been too sure of herself at times, too selfish. But you, my son, you are the best parts of us. I wish to have you beside me when I marry Persephone.”

Nico seemed to snap out of it at the words and turned to look at his father. “Me?”

Hades chuckled and nodded.

Nico rubbed his neck nervously. “Father I-I’m not sure I’d be fit for that.”

Hades nodded. “Nonsense. You will do fine. You are a di Angelo.”

Nico looked at him, looked at the honesty in his eyes, and the nervousness and above all the sincerity. Nico nodded his agreement.

Hades smiled at him, a private kind of smile. “Thank you, my boy.”

And they were off to get ready for a party that would begin in three hours.

 

Nico reached for the knob of his bedroom door when Piper screamed.

“Nico di Angelo you get away from there this instant!”

Jason heard Piper scream outside the door and he froze. He was half dressed, putting on the outfit Reyna and Piper had set out, pointed to, and ordered him into.

Nico sighed and turned. “And why should I do that?”

Piper smiled at him mischievously while she led him farther down the hall to an empty guest room. Reyna stood in the center of the room and clothes he didn’t recognize, while Hazel stood by a small desk and vanity mirror. He turned right around and ran into Piper.

“Oh no you don’t. We’re doing this because we care about you and Jason.”

Nico grimaced. “No person on earth would force their friend to dress in clothes and do their make-up.”

Piper crossed her arms and after a moment he just sighed and turned around. He frowned angrily at Reyna.

“You owe me one.”

She shrugged while smiling happily.

 

“Jason Grace I am coming in and if you aren’t dressed I will not be blamed for our mutual embarrassment.” Piper said loudly as she entered the room.

Jason stood, currently in his boxers and struggling to put on his pants.

“Piper I want to wear pants. Not a second skin.”

Piper sighed and began to help him fit his legs through. “Please, they’re not that tight. Plus it’ll be worth it when Nico sees you in them. They’re going to make your ass look amazing.”

Jason blushed and stuttered but Piper grinned at him. “Hey, hey, I totally get it, off limits, but I am not one to pass up the appreciation of a fine ass. I mean, have you seen Reyna’s? So toned. It’s amazing.”

Jason looked down at the legs of his tight pants and focused. “Yeah, no, that’s enough of my ex-girlfriend talking about my other ex-girlfriend’s ass.”

Piper giggled and grunted. But when his legs fit through his jeans she cheered in victory.

“Ha! Knew I could do it. Now pull those up and on.”

Leo peeked through the door. “How goes Operation Get Jason Laid After Six Months of Dating The Same Guy?”

Jason looked at Piper incredulously. She shrugged while giving him a sheepish smile. “What? He came up with the name. I swear.”

Leo looked at her as he shut the door closed. “Hey! I don’t remember you coming up with any ideas yourself Ms. McLean.”

Piper rolled her eyes. “Please I could come up with something three times better. Which wouldn’t be much of an improvement since that name is shit.”

“Guys.” Jason said.

“Hey! I resent that!” Leo argued.

“Is too.” Piper shot back.

“Guys.” Jason said.

“Is not! You take that back, McLean!”

“Is too! And I won’t.” Piper shot back.

“Is not!”

“Guys!” Jason nearly shouted.

They both turned to him.

“Who put you up to this?”

Piper and Leo looked at each other, that look that told Jason he’d missed something.

“Well Hazel and Frank mentioned something. . .”

Jason frowned. He had expected this from Reyna, but not Hazel or Frank. He should have though, because Hazel wasn’t always the softest. He remembered the one time in a coffee shop when someone had called Nico a faggot and Hazel asked for the hottest coffee they could brew and threw it at the guy. Jason had watched from a corner of the cafe and he still remembered it. The guy had run screaming and Hazel had gone back and sunnily asked for a cinnamon hot chocolate. Jason would definitely have to remember that, lest he end up with third degree burns.

“Guys, Nico’s not. . . He’s not like that. Things go at his pace.”

Piper sat down and pulled shirts out of nowhere. “Well I say you set your own pace, Grace. Jeez, I mean, come on. I know I’m not exactly an expert on Nico and Jason relationship dynamics considering you hid this from us for six months, but sometimes Nico needs to have his boundaries pushed.”

Jason frowned at her. “That’s really not a lesson you should teach. God I hope you don’t tell that to your sex ed kids.” Piper taught sex ed and teenage development after school at the YMCA back in New York City.

Piper rolled her eyes. “Stop evading. I mean, jeez the kid is so set in his comfortable zone how is he going to experience the things that are outside of it?”

Jason secretly agreed, but Nico had to go at his own pace, Jason wouldn’t push him lest he shy away even more. Jason couldn’t go back to being strangers.

Leo sat beside him and waved a shirt in front of him. “Besides I see him looking at you. He totally wants to, man.”

Jason wished he could ask them how to get him to actually date him.

Jason just sighed and held his hands out for the shirts.

 

Nico would never forgive his friends for this. Never. Never. He would put flaming dog shit on all their doorsteps and watch them scream and he would relish it because there is no way he would ever forgive this.

Nico was currently looking at the mirror, breathing in the oh so refreshing smell of stiff hairspray. He had been instructed to put on black pants, ones that actually fit him and clung to his hips. He had also been instructed to put on a black button up with skulls on it and buttoned it up to the top and threw on a grey cardigan for comfort. He had to admit he looked good. That wasn’t what had bothered him, it was the damn straightening irons and hairspray and the bright lights of the vanity mirror that showed the sick paleness of his skin.

Hazel gave him a smile that he could see through the reflection of the mirror. “We’ve been at this for two hours. You look great and Jason will be your real boyfriend in no time.”

Reyna bent down to his eye level and looked at him in the mirror. “If he doesn’t he’ll be sorry. I heard from Persephone that Eros will be there. The moment he sees you he’ll be all over you.”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Eros? Please, that guy loves anything that moves.”

Hazel giggled. “You’re not wrong.”

Reyna rolled her eyes at that, and Nico turned to her. “How about you? I haven’t seen you with anyone in a while.”

She let out a laugh and teased his hair a bit, as though she was trying to make an improvement. “Please. Your family or Demeter’s? That sounds like a mess just waiting to happen.”

Nico gave her a look. “Don’t I know it.”

Hazel put down the comb and metallic bottle of hairspray and grinned at him, practically jumping up and down from excitement.

“You’re done!”

He looked at his hair, sprayed and frosted into place as it fell just right and out of his eyes. He could admit that Hazel and Reyna had done an impeccable job at making him look much better than before, but that still couldn’t guarantee that Jason even wanted him to begin with.

Reyna and Hazel had gotten ready somewhere while he had changed and they were already ready. Reyna wore a backless short peplum dress that had lace sleeves. Her hair, which was curly, had been braided to one side and she wore the earrings Nico knew she had gotten from her sister three Christmases ago. Hazel wore a dress with thin straps that had floral prints and a zipper along with a thin sweater. Nico had to admit that they looked like one hell of a group.

Frank peeped his head through cautiously and upon seeing them all standing, ready to present themselves, he opened the door and before he could even get his words out he spotted Hazel. He smiled wide at her as he appraised her dress. Nico had seen men look at women before and it had always made him feel vaguely uncomfortable, as though they were ogling rather than appreciating the person in the clothes.

Frank didn’t do that. Frank looked at her outfit with such interest and happiness Nico knew he couldn’t have a single negative bone in his body. Frank was good that way.

“You look amazing.” He said softly, as though he’d forgotten Reyna and Nico completely.

Reyna looked as though she was going to gag, but Nico knew better. He’d met her when they were young and happy. Years before things had worked against them and they had hardened. He remembered when they were young and Reyna had said she’d marry someone someday, girl or boy it didn’t matter, but she’d marry them. And she’d have kids and a house and all the things she had wanted back then. Nico remembered telling her about how one day he’d marry a boy, they’d be private and marry away from the eye of his father. They had giggled under the sheet with Bianca about his wedding where he’d wear shoes too big for his feet and his husband would kiss him sweetly. Reyna still believed in the happy-ever-after’s. Nico still sort of believed in things like that, sort of.

Frank kissed her sweetly and she blushed when they pulled away.

Frank seemed to realized he’d come with a mission and realization dawned on him. “Oh right! The first guests have arrived.”

 

* * *

 

 

Jason saw Nico when they were all forced downstairs to meet the first guests. Nico in his hipster button up and cardigan and piercings looked like quite possibly the most attractive person Jason had ever seen. The clothes fit him perfectly and his eyes and skin contrasted so well with it.

Nico looked over to see Jason in maroon pants and a white button up. The jeans fit tight around his butt and when he saw Piper waggled her eyebrows at him he looked away and blushed.

Reyna chuckled beside him as they walked to meet Jason, who stared at him with wide eyes. “You’re allowed to look. He’s your boyfriend, after all.”

Nico frowned and looked at her. “Don’t start.”

She grinned and let out a laugh as she whispered, “What? You’re single he’s single. And incidentally you’re both pretending to be in love with each other when you both really are.”

He elbowed her as they finally reached Jason at the top of the grand staircase.

Jason smiled at him. “You look amazing.”

Nico smiled at him. “So do you.”

Leo chuckled behind them and just shoved Jason forward. “Damn, it’s like watching glaciers move. Kiss the man, Jason.”

Jason turned around and Leo jumped back quickly. “Knock it off, man. I swear.”

Jason turned to Nico nervously. “C-can I? Kiss you I mean?”

Nico rolled his eyes, but he was blushing, and he nodded. Jason leaned forward and chastely pecked him on the lips. Nico pushed forward, cherishing the feel of lips while he could.

“Nico! Jason! Enough kissing, get down here now! And the rest of you too!” Demeter called.

Jason and Nico found their hands and linked them together as they walked down the stairs.

Demeter smiled at them. “Lovely, amazing. You both look amazing.”

Leo coughed beside them. “Geez, take all the spotlight, would you? Single and trying to get with someone here.”

Nico rolled his eyes but Leo nudged him and smirked. “Got any hot cousins?”

Frank sighed. “Leo, please don’t be that guy.”

Leo sighed forlornly at them. “Alas, I am always ‘that guy’. That is a tall order, Zhang.”

Frank rolled his eyes but they made their way to the ballroom. They all stood in the doorway dressed in their second best and admired the decorations. Silk hung from the ceiling. instead of the chandeliers being lit an endless string of lights wound around the room and in loops from the ceiling. The ceiling had a net of flowers that hung low enough that if you wanted to touch it all you had to do was jump. The flowers were pink, the tablecloths were beige with lavender and everything glowed with the evening sunset. In short, it was the best thing Nico had ever seen in his life.

Demeter went up to Frank, Hazel, Nico, and Jason. “You all will need to mingle first, say hi to your uncles and aunts. As the children of course. Reyna, Leo, and Piper will be here when you get back.

Jason, Nico, Hazel, and Frank all weaved through the thin crowd of people until they found Hades. He and Persephone were frowning at the person they were talking to. It surprised Jason because he had only ever seen her smile or look serenely calm.

Hades turned to them in relief. “Ah, children, yes. Meet my business associate Jupiter Grace, and his wife Juno.”

Jason froze. He whole body went stiff as he looked at the man with cold eyes in a blue suit. His eyes were deep blue, like his own. Nico shook his hand and Jason felt like he was going to vomit. They all turned to him once they’d all introduced themselves and Jason felt himself tumble back quickly. His feet had subconsciously desired to get away, to leave, to stop being in the same room with the man who had abandoned his mother. Jupiter must have realized who he was because for a moment his eyes widened and he looked momentarily shocked.

Jason felt the crowd swallow him, felt the people clutter around him. The room was too small, too small. Too small. He was drowning, too small. He began to hyperventilate and when he crashed against a wall he let out a panicked breath. He saw Nico walking over and turned to the side and ran, ran to the closest doors and away from all the people, away from his father, away from things that followed him. The one place he had hoped he would be free from things like this, just for one weekend. He had blocked it, had tried so hard to help other people, never helping himself and it flooded, it bled through. Those eyes. His eyes, his father’s eyes.

He was running. Running so far. Where was he? What was he? Why now?

“Jason!” someone yelled behind him. But he couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop. He was so sure he’d ran far until he realized he was just running through the labyrinth of hedges and roses and flowers and he was lost, so lost. Lost.

Someone turned him around. “Jason!”

He gasped, breathless and scared and confused and so many things all at once.

Piper and Leo stood there in front of him.

Leo was bent over, gasping for breaths of air. “Dammit, Grace. What the hell? You look like you saw a ghost.”

Jason nodded quickly. “I saw him. I saw him. He’s here.”

Piper put a hand on his shoulder. “Who, Jason? What the hell are you talking about?”

Jason ran a hand through his hair, He looked like he was ready to cry and Leo stepped forward protectively.

“My father.”

 

Nico had spent fifteen minutes sitting at the table, waiting for Jason. He had run off in a haste, something Nico had been worried about. He was going to follow Jason, to ask what had happened, to help. But Piper and Leo had told him to wait, to sit. He sat with Reyna, while Hazel and Frank had gone into the fray and talked to the crowd that had gathered in the hour since the party began.

Reyna sat with him, comforting his worry, when Apollo, Minerva and Diana showed up.

Apollo grinned at him. “Hey, cuz. Long time no see, you introverted hermit. I’d thought you’d forgotten me.”

He was dressed in jeans and what looked like something Fabio might wear. It was a loose white shirt like you see the men on harlequin romance novels wear, if they wear anything at all. He had a hemp necklace with beads hanging from it, flip flops, and a guitar strapped to his back. Apollo and Diana were Leto’s twins, who was Hades’ half sister.

Nico rolled his eyes. “Hello, Apollo.”

Apollo grinned at him. “I heard from mom that you brought a boy home, where is the hunk of meat?”

Nico swallowed nervously, afraid that his words might sound like a lie if Jason wasn’t back soon. He scrambled for an answer, looking at Reyna who simply stared at Apollo in confusion.

“For heaven sake, Apollo leave the poor boy alone.” Diana said from behind him.

Nico looked at her and beside him he heard Reyna gasp. Nico rolled his eyes the moment he looked over. Diana was dressed in a silver, shimmering dress made of lace that flared out and ended just above the knees. Her auburn hair was tied back in a messy bun with a silver circlet with a moon charm hanging loosely from her hair.

She smiled at him. “Nico. How are you?”

The twins hugged him and he felt good, felt calmed.

He smiled at her. “Good.”

“How is New York City treating you?” She said, and her gray eyes, almost pale, seemed genuinely interested and happy to see him.

“Good. Great really. Everything’s really coming along.”

Apollo nudged him. “Don’t we know it. You certainly got busy.”

Nico rolled his eyes.

Diana turned to Reyna. “Who is this, Nico?”

Reyna smiled at her. “Reyna Arellano. Nice to meet you.”

Diana seemed to give her a small smile, one that didn’t fully reach her eyes, but there was no negative feeling there.

“It is nice to meet you, too. Tell me, Reyna, did you come here alone?”

Reyna stuttered. “ I-I’m not. . .”

Apollo rolled his eyes but smirked at her. “Don’t sweat it. My sister can spot a single woman from a mile away. She’s probably going to recruit you to join her band of maidens. Traveling the world, slaying the patriarchy, renouncing the company of men, ya know, just girly things.”

Reyna looked between then and Nico wanted to laugh at her conflicted face.

“I’m sorry, Diana, that’s not really. . .  Not really the life for me.”

Diana gave a forlorn sigh. “Unfortunately, I understand. Such a waste.”

Diana settled into a chair beside Reyna, her face had a mask of disinterest. Minerva coughed from behind Apollo and they all turned their attention to her.

She wore a grey dress made of silk that ran the length of her long legs. Her dress matched the color of her eyes, her hair, black as a raven’s feathers, was tied back a curly bun with what looked like diamond stars clipped into her hair. Around her graceful neck hung an owl pendant.

Nico gave her a hug as soon as she stepped in front of Apollo. She was the daughter of Jupiter, had run her own branches of his company, but in association with military companies of the government. She was witty, clever, and above all one of the very few people who treated Nico with respect.

“Nico. I am so glad to see you, and looking much better than usual.”

Apollo grinned. “It’s because he’s finally got him some man candy.”

Nico rolled his eyes.

Minerva turned to Reyna, who gulped. Minerva watched her with rapt fascination. “And who is this lovely woman?”

Nico smirked when Reyna began to stutter. “R-Reyna Arellano.”

Minerva immediately sat on her other side, angling her body towards her. “Queen. That is what your name means.”

Reyna seemed to snap back into her body because she nodded with an air of regality. “Yes it does. Doesn’t Minerva stand for wise?”

Minerva smirked at her and turned to Nico. “I like her. Why have I never met her before?”

Apollo scoffed next to Nico. “Please, the moment you see any woman slightly less than heterosexual and moderately beautiful or intelligent, you’re whisking them away as if they’re a maiden to be protected.”

Minerva turned to Reyna and _oh my god that hand is way too high on her thigh to be platonic._ “Tell me dear, do you like being whisked away? I can’t vouch for your maidenhead.”

Nico gagged. Diana rolled her eyes.

Apollo turned him away from the conversation and led him away. “Dear god as much as I love my sister’s best friend, I certainly don’t need to see that.”

Nico swallowed. “Same here.”

“So this guy. Tell me about him.”

Nico gulped. “We met through Hazel.”

Apollo waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, I have totally heard it before. But is he good in the sack?”

Nico looked at him in shock. “I-I d-don’t. . .  I mean we. . . we haven’t. . .”

Apollo nodded. “Ahhh, of course, of course. I understand. Totally at your own pace, ya know?”

Nico nodded.

“What’s at your own pace?”

Nico turned around in surprise. “Jason!”

**  
**  


It took thirty minutes for Jason to choke out the story. It took him thirty minutes of rapid breathing, general panicking, and crying to explain to Piper and Leo what his father had done, what he mother had done as a result of it, and everything in between. Including how he was the illegitimate son of a business tycoon.

“Wow, what a piece of shit.” Leo said once Jason had finished.

Piper smacked him.

“Ow! What was that for? It’s the truth!”

She was going to hit him again until Jason stopped her and nodded.

“Leave him alone. He’s right. My dad kind of is a complete piece of shit.”

Piper looked at him with a worried look. “What will you do? Just ignore him?”

Jason nodded. “I have to. I’m here for Nico. He needs me to be there for him.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “You fucking saps.”

Piper walked with him arm in arm while Leo walked ahead of them backwards.

Leo tried to lighten the mood with jokes and Jason was eternally grateful for his best friends. They stood outside of the wide patio doors and Piper looked at him. “You gonna be okay in there?”

Jason nodded.

Leo put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay, dude. You totally got this. Ain’t no sweat.” Jason really loved Leo sometimes.

 

When Jason spotted Nico standing next to a guy his immediate reaction was to furrow his brow in confusion and jealousy.

“That’s just his cousin.” said a sickly sweet voice from beside him. He turned to see who had spoken but there was no one in sight paying attention to him. He crossed the room, making his way over and feeling more calm with every step, as if being close to Nico was home.

“. . .at your own pace, ya know?”

“What’s at your own pace?” He asked.

Nico turned around in surprise and blushed. “Jason!”

Jason smiled at him, giving him a superficial peck on the cheek and took his hand. “Sorry about earlier. I’m okay now.”

Nico furrowed his eyebrows. “You sure?”

Jason nodded, and his smile was honest. He was better. He watched Nico bathed in the golden glow of lights hung low and his voice had become a soothing vibration that calmed Jason’s sense.

“Ahem.” Someone coughed from beside them.

The blond man Jason had seen getting too close to Nico was now standing across from them, eyeing Jason with interest. The blond guy certainly was attractive in his own ways, but Jason couldn’t help but feel off-limits. And he wanted to be off-limits. Because while the stranger was attractive he certainly didn’t match up to Nico, and he also wasn’t desperately in love with the stranger.

Nico turned to his cousin, who he noticed ogling his boyfriend. His grip on Jason’s hand tightened and Jason smiled internally. He figured it was a protective type of assurance, but Jason was allowed to wish it was more.

“Apollo, this is my BOYFRIEND Jason Grace. Jason Grace, this knucklehead is Apollo.”

Apollo took his free hand and kiss the back with a wink. “Why hello.”

Nico fumed, but Jason just pulled his hand away. “Sorry, taken. Very much taken. Like, taken like you wouldn’t believe. Very much not interested.”

Apollo sighed and chuckled while he looked at Nico. “Take all the good ones, why don’t ya?”

Nico grinned at Jason. “Yeah. The good ones.”

Jason loved Nico’s smile.

Apollo turned to Jason. “So, Jason, my cousin and you? How did that happen? We both know Nico doesn’t put himself out there much. Something we will definitely have a talk about later.”

They hadn’t planned to really go into detail, hadn’t planned beyond the superficial questions they were bound to get. But Jason figured that once again honesty really was the best policy.

Nico turned to him, hoping he knew how to answer and he did.

He rubbed his neck nervously, giving the illusion that he was sheepish.

“He wasn’t, really. I saw him my first semester in Biology and I didn’t go up to at first,” not a lie, “but eventually I did. And we got talking until one day I just figured, you know, why not?”

Apollo grinned at him. “Why not?” He repeated.

Jason gave him a bright smile. “Yeah.”

Apollo turned to Nico. “It’s a shame really. Quite the good one here. It’s almost too good to be true.”

Nico’s heart twinged. He gave Jason a sidelong glance. “Yeah. Too good.”

 

The next people Jason met were Hades’ brothers and sister. Hermes, Poseidon, and Hestia all seemed relatively nice, if not just a little standoffish. Hestia wore a simple brown dress, Hermes and Poseidon wore suits and from the way they wore them so casually it was easy to tell that this was their everyday apparel.

Posiedon had looked at Jason with a level of intimidation that Jason was actually scared to admit had been very dibilitating.

He had put an arm around Jason and muttered, “I need not tell you, son, that should you hurt my nephew your life will be very difficult.”

Jason swallowed and nodded.

Hestia had smiled at him and Nico wrapped his arms around her. She was warm, soft, she smelled like cinnamon and burning candles. She had always been Nico’s favourite.

“Aunt Hestia. I missed you.”

She smiled at him. “As have I, Nico. You have stayed away too long.”

He nodded and gave her a smile. “We’re done with that. No more staying away.”

Hestia looked at her younger brother where he hung at the edge of the group with Persephone. He gave her a look of slight embarrassment but she just smiled.

“I am glad, nephew,” she turned to Jason and so did Hermes, “and who, may I ask, is this?”

Jason waved at Hermes and Hestia nervously. “Hi.”

Hestia smiled at him, it seemed warm, kind, patient, like a mother who loved you. “So you are responsible for the gossip? I could hardly believe Nico when he told us he would be bringing someone home. But I am glad he has someone.”

Jason nodded, reaching and wrapping an arm around Nico’s waist.

“So am I.” Except he didn’t, because this wasn’t real. Jason would have to see a therapist and ask about how easy it had gotten to lie about things like this. It should worry him really.

Hermes smirked between them. “So long as you take care of the nephew. I would hate for all of us to have to ruin your life if you hurt him.”

Nico looked at Jason nervously, but Hades, Persephone, Hermes, Poseidon, and Hestia all laughed loudly. Jason wondered whether or not they were actually kidding. They definitely weren’t.

When the final guests had left, Apollo leaving last and giving Jason his number and a wink despite his many protests, it was late, beyond late really.

Jason and Nico were changing out of their uncomfortable clothes, taking showers, and settling in with cozy pajamas. They lay there, close to each other. The entire night Jason had a lingering feeling, as though Nico had been provoking him. Nico would kiss the palms of his hands, the back of his hands, his neck. Nico had placed his lips on any visible part of Jason. He certainly hadn’t complained, but he wondered if it was fake or not. The touches felt too honest, too intimate, too real. They lay there, a stalemate to the world’s longest mystery of does the boy like me back. It was difficult to say, but Jason hoped once this was all over and they were back home, where things weren’t so complicated and there wasn’t so much lying and sneaking and planning, he could finally put an end to this. And by put an end to it, he meant he wanted Nico to be real for him. He wanted to kiss him and touch him and know that every brush of skin had a purpose.

They lay there, silent and in the dark, hands barely reaching for each other in bed. Jason wondered if they’d crack before the weekend was out. It was only Friday. Nico was slowly drifting, Jason knew that much. Now or never. He remembered the way Eros, some stupid cousin of Jason’s, had looked at Nico, had smiled and kissed just a little too close to his mouth for Jason’s comfort. Stupid Eros who was bold about loving Nico in a way Jason couldn’t be, because things were complicated and so was Nico.

Now or never.

Jason let out a sigh.

“Nico I think I’m in love with you.”

There was only a snore in response.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Nico sings on the piano is called Stars Fell On Alabama by She & Him. I hope you enjoyed! Kudos and comments are always welcomed! :D


	6. Day Six: One Day You Will Find Someone Who Will Love You Like You Deserve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THE WEDDING IS FINALLY HERE!  
> Or in which everyone is emotional, Reyna is tired of everyone else's shit, and the author makes everyone soppy and happy finally. Or, well, sort of.

Nico woke up at noon while being nestled against a wall.

It wasn’t a wall, really, but a massive expanse of warm flesh that had arms wound around him tight. In sleep Jason had found Nico and Nico had found him and now Jason had his muscled arms wound around Nico tight. He sighed in his sleep and Nico attempted to pry himself from him.

It was no use because the moment Nico attempted to get Jason’s arms unwound from around him, Jason opened his eyes sleepily. It was as if his body could tell Nico was leaving and wanted him to do something about it.

_Nico’s leaving! Make sure he’s not being stupid and bring him back close to us!_

Jason momentarily tightened his grip, bringing them flush together but then his arms when slack.

“What’s up?” He said.

His voice rumbled in his chest and Nico felt it. “We have to get up. The wedding is today.”

Nico rolled out of bed, but Jason groaned.

Nico laughed. “Hey, you signed up for a wedding, you’re getting a wedding.”

“Thank god I can legally drink.”

They leaned out the doorway to see if anyone and immediately they were almost hit by two staffers who were running by with chairs. Jason and Nico ducked into the doorway. There was shouting from downstairs while men and women began to pull on the penguin outfits they would be wearing at they served for the wedding. Nico and Jason watched the strangers rush past and go back and forth. They walked downstairs cautiously, looking around for the family.

They were padding softly down the stairs when Demeter spotted them. They both immediately tried to run up the stairs in horror. But she had already spotted them and began running after them.

“You both have two hours to get ready before the actual ceremony!”

They ran back into their room, where Nico let out a giggle.

He giggled and it didn’t stop, just turned into full blown laughs in between his breaths.

Jason watched him throw his bed and laugh and was pretty sure he was going to hell for taking advantage of the situation.

Nico sighed once he was done laughing. “Ready?”

Jason walked over to the closet where their suits hung together.

“As ready as we could be. Today we’re the perfect couple.”

Nico nodded. “Perfect.”

Jason hated the way his brain had added sappy lines to every word Nico said. But he just stood there as Nico ran his hands over the fabrics. Into battle.

The first thing that happened when they finished changing was get ripped apart.

Demeter saw Nico emerge, immaculate in his suit, piercings gone, hair groomed perfectly, and smelling faintly of cologne.

“Nico, your father needs you! Now, boy! I shall surely die if I listen to his blather any longer! Go!”

Nico was pulled away with Demeter while Jason just stood watching get dragged away and chuckled in sympathy.

Demeter pulled him through the corridors and out to the little area behind the area.

“Your father is being idiotic and second guessing himself. Knock some sense into him. You’re the only one who could do it.”

Nico was shoved into the little tent. Inside Hades stood looking at the reflection in the small mirror on the desk inside the tent.

“Father?”

Hades turned quickly, trying to wipe the tears and sadness of his face. “Nico.”

Nico frowned. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

Hades showed him the things balled in his fist. It was a picture of Maria.

“It feels wrong to move on this way. She would never forgive me.”

Nico sighed and put a hand on his father’s shoulder. “Father, she’s dead. . . It’s time to let it go. Persephone is waiting for you to marry her.”

Hades wiped his nose. “What if this isn’t what Maria would have wanted?”

“Mom wanted you to be happy.”

Something dawned on Nico then, something exalting. It had been so many years of resentment and fear and anger and sadness, and Nico felt so bad for his father. Nico had always had Hazel to talk to, Reyna, and Will back home. He had friends, friends who wanted to hear his problems and wanted to share their weight of his sadnesses. But Hades had no one. Bianca had died, Maria had died, and those were things that even if Persephone had been there to listen, once they had gone past the comfort and talking it was harder to talk about them, because Hades would be marrying her. It was different and Hades had bottled it all up , never finding any way to unleash the things inside him that were close to bubbling over and exploding.

Hades and Nico were similar that way.

Nico put a hand over Hades and he felt the photo crumple under his palm.

“You’re not losing her. This isn’t you forgetting or losing or leaving her. You loved, love, her, and now you love someone else.”

Hades looked as though he was trying to force his tears back even if it didn’t work. “What if she never forgives me for this?”

Nico sighed and looked down at their hands joined. He understood. Slipping through his fingers, all the time it felt like they were slipping through his fingers every time he decided it was time to let them go.

“I have a feeling she will. You just need to forgive yourself first.”

Hades looked at him, eyes sad, but he thought about the words and curled his hand around Nico’s.

“I can do that.”

Nico nodded, giving him a smile. “Ready to make Demeter the most disappointed woman in the world?”

Hades just smiled.

Jason stood there for a moment before Piper and Leo came down the hall. Leo looked groomed but still impish and Piper looked amazing. She wore a flowing red gown that was strapless and her hair was curled, braided, and pinned with little hairpins that shimmered.

He remembered why he used to love her. She looked stunning.

“Well don’t you look hot.” He said.

Leo grinned. “Hey, watch out, Neeks won’t want to find out he needs to question your fidelity. Besides, Grace, I am begrudgingly and completely heterosexual.”

Jason rolled his eyes. “I was talking about Piper, doofus.”

Piper smiled at him. “Thanks. Where’s Nico?”

Jason waved in a general direction. “Dealing with. . . things.”

Piper and Leo grinned at him.

They made their way through the house and Leo turned to Jason.

“So, six months with the same guy, no sex, this must be serious.”

Jason blushed and kept walking.

Leo pushed. “Oh come on, dude, we know you. You’re gonna propose to him any time soon? Ooooh! You could propose to him here!”

Jason nudged him. “Stop it, you don’t really have any type of wisdom to share here.”

Leo sighed. “All too true, my dear friend. I have been prepetually single since I could talk.”

Piper smirked. “Ever think that maybe it was _because_ you could talk?”

Jason laughed but Leo made an offended noise. “I resent that! I am a blast to be around, McLean. A pure fucking joy.”

Piper rolled her eyes. “Yeah right, Valdez.”

Leo laughed his elfish laugh and Jason walked out to the backyard with them. Reyna stood waiting for them along with Hazel and Frank.

Hazel was dressed in a short and preppy floral print with white lace and her hair was done so it flaired out behind her headband. Frank looked intimidating and stood tall and proud beside her. Jason thought they looked perfect together. When Frank stood there, smiling down at her as she grinned at them.

Reyna walked up to Jason, and his jaw dropped.

She wore a deep purple silk and chiffon gown with one shoulder strap. It curved with her figure as she stood still, making her legs look impossibly long. As she walked the chiffon layers fluttered behind her as though she was walking like a queen, and when they all turned to her and watched her it felt that way. Her hair was pinned to one side and curled gracefully over her shoulder, the expanse of her neck was long and elegant.

Leo was the first one to say something when she finally made her way over to them.

“Please sleep with me.”

Reyna rolled her eyes. “Eloquent as ever, Leo.”

Piper punched Leo in the arm. “Shut up.”

Leo rubbed his arm and looked at their friends. “Does anyone care about this? Piper is always hitting me.”

They all chuckled when Leo pouted and crossed his arms.

Demeter led all the other guests that had arrived out into the patio and up to the seating area. They joined them and Reyna shouldered up to him.

“How is Nico?”

Jason gulped. “I don’t know.”

“Confess your undying love yet?” She whispered.

Jason blanched. “Actually, um, yeah.”

Her eyes widened. “No shit.”

Jason’s shoulders sagged. “He was asleep.”

Reyna threw her head back and laughed. “Oh my god!”

Their friends turned around from where they had walked ahead of them. Jason nudged her to keep her quiet.

“Quiet!”

Reyna continued to chuckle to herself. “Oh dear christ I can’t believe your luck.”

Jason blushed in anger and began to walk faster, trying to catch up to their group. Reyna yanked his arm.

“Hey, come on I’m kidding.” She said, her eyebrows furrowed.

He sighed. “I know, it’s just. . . I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Reyna gave him a soft smile, an old one, like the ones she used to give him. “Just do it again.”

“It’s not that easy, Reyna.”

She rolled her eyes. “‘It’s not that easy.’ God both of you are completely idiots.”

“What do you mean?”

She gave him a look. “You have got to be kidding me?”

He just stared back at her.

She sighed. “Nico is in love with you, _tonto_.”

Jason nodded. “He would have said something.”

She scoffed. “Right, tell a guy you’re convinced is out of your league that you have a huge gay crush on him. Totally Nico.”

Jason just kept walking. Reyna followed after him.

“I’m telling you! He really does!”

Jason felt his ears go red but he made his way to the sitting area despite her words ringing in his ear.

“Nico, please, stand where I told you!” Demeter yelled from the end of the rose petal covered aisle.

Jason lingered by him. “Excited?”

Nico shrugged. “I’m more worried about him.”

Beside Nico his father fidgeted with his lapels, and the rose pinned to his suit and just about any part of him. His black hair was slicked and combed and his posture was stiff. Jason could tell his was a wreck.

“Mr. Di Angelo, how are you feeling?” Jason asked.

He sighed loudly. “In truth I am terrified.”

Nico giggled from beside him. Before he could say anything else Demeter came and pushed him away to his seat next to Leo and Piper. She led the vicar to the altar where Reyna and Hazel stood on one side and Nico and Frank stood beside Hades on the other side.

The bridesmaids dresses didn’t match, but Jason found that the entire family was unconventional that way and it fit them perfectly.

Nico watched Demeter disappear behind the hedges that kept Persephone hidden as they all stood. In some ways Nico was nervous too. It would be the joining of two families. Nico and Hades had made up, and slowly but surely they would reach a point where they would be able to talk to each other with ease, and it meant that Nico would be asked to come over more, asked to birthdays and Christmases and Thanksgivings and Easters and New Year’s parties. He would be part of the things Hades and Persephone had been building for the last six years. He would be a part of something new and somethings borrowed and Nico didn’t believe in that wedding tradition, but watching his father fidget and move from foot to foot, he knew he had to believe in something. This would change their lives, it would change his father’s life. He looked over to Jason, sitting there in his impeccable suit, smiling at him as the people all seated chatted quietly, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Jason smiled so brightly and Nico smiled back, he had to. Because even if this wasn’t real, he was allowed to pretend for a day that he could have the things he wanted.

“Perhaps one day I will see you both up at this altar.” Hades said quietly.

Nico looked at him in shock. “N-no, I. . . We haven’t. . .”

Hades raised an eyebrow as if he expected Nico to argue against the very solid opinion he had already formed.

Suddenly the music began to play and Nico could practically _feel_ his father’s heart stop.

Nico looked at the entrance of the garden arch where the altar ended and Demeter was walking with Persephone up the aisle. Nico turned to his father and watched his father tear up and the tears trickled down as he looked at her with a look of pure and unadulterated bliss. Nico was surprised by that. Those looks had only been seen in photos and videos, Nico had never seen him look that way since as long as he could remember. Nico felt a pang in his heart, because his father stared at Persephone as if he had never known happiness before her, and maybe for a while that had been true. Nico felt so glad that his father had someone who had loved him so much, but felt guilty that he had never been around to help that.

He turned to Persephone, her perfect white dress with flowers woven into the lace that fell gracefully and dragged against the petals on the ground. Her dark skin contrasted with the whiteness of the dress and Nico, even as non-heterosexual as he was, was willing to admit that Persephone looked perfect. Perfect, and happy, and crying beneath her veil. Everyone stood and watched them walk to the altar. Demeter and Persephone finally reached the altar and both of them were crying. Demeter smiled widely at Hades and Persephone as Persephone stepped up to the altar. Hades and Persephone took each other’s hands and Nico knew it meant so much more. They had reached for each other in dark times and dark places, and they had found each other inevitably and perfectly, and everything about them was inevitable and pure and good. Nico finally understood how a woman like Persephone could love his father.

“Please be seated.” The vicar said, and they all sat.

The service dragged on a bit, but Nico had butterflies in his stomach and when the vicar went on about being together in sickness and health Nico had made the mistake of looking over at Jason, who winked. He saw Apollo from the other side of chairs notice the interaction and gave him a thumbs up. Nico rolled his eyes.

“And now for the vows.”

The vicar and Persephone, and the entire congregation, turned to him. He turned to Nico who pulled the cards from his suit pocket.

Hades sighed. “Thank you, my boy.”

Hades turned to Persephone. Nico watched them, feeling everything from nervousness to affection radiate off of them.

Jason watched as Hades wiped his palms and began by clearing his throat.

“I am not the greatest man,” he began, staring at the cards more than his soon to be wife, “in fact to those who know me well I am not even a particularly good man. So when I asked for your hand in marriage it was with the full expectation that you would say no.

“I am a man who rarely understands the needs of others, who will think with too much logic, and abandon all reason when things are not going well. I am crass and stubborn, and above all, I am very lonely. Love yourself before you love others? I cannot do that. I am afraid I have not always held a very high opinion of myself, but you. I love you so much I forgot what hating myself felt like.”

By the end Persephone was in tears and Nico was looking at Jason. They held eye contact and something in Nico’s eyes spoke to him, as if the words Hades had spoken had been Nico’s own words.

The vicar turned to Persephone. “It is your turn.”

Persephone nodded and took his hands. Pale hands held by skin so rich brown and smooth, calloused from days spent too long at the hospital saving people who couldn’t be saved, and yet so smooth as if the universe wanted Persephone to know the mistake she made wouldn’t be detected in her skin.

“I love you. I love you the way the moon fell in love with the stars and rose and set with them just to be with them. I know others may see a man who is cold and crass and so shut out from the world he can’t love anything anymore. But you do, you love so much, Hayden di Angelo. It is in your children and in us, and in Maria and Bianca, and I believe you stopped trying to wear your heart on your sleeve because there simply wasn’t enough space. I am so happy I have a piece of it.”

Hades had tears running steadily from his eyes while Persephone sniffled and they both turned to the vicar.

He smiled. “By the power vested in me, by all means, kiss the bride.”

And as their lips met and the crowd clapped and cheered Nico looked around.

Hazel and Frank smiled at each other fondly in that way Nico knew meant they could understand that they loved each other. Reyna had a tear she was wiping out of her eyes before anyone saw but Nico smiled at her and she just shrugged as if to say _“What can you do about love?”_ He turned to Demeter who was clapping and cheering the loudest, even if she hadn’t approved of the match, she understood how much they needed each other, how perfect they were.

Nico turned to Leo and Piper who just cheered happily. He finally turned to Jason who was watching him intently, he was clapping but his eyes lay on NIco the entire time and Nico felt his heart constrict. Those blue eyes that shined with something Nico couldn’t quite understand his smile was bright, blinding, content.

Persephone and Hades walked down the aisle, rice being thrown as everyone cheered, and Frank and Hazel followed after them, peppering kisses on each other and holding hands as tightly as they could. Nico and Jason walked down the aisle next and the cheering only grew.

Jason laughed. “I think they’re expecting us to kiss.”

“Well what are you waiting for, superman?”

Jason laughed and leaned in for a kiss. The kiss was soft and the rice pelted them, bouncing off their suits as they kissed standing in the aisle until they finally pulled away.

Jason jumped back and they began to walk.

“Sorry.” He muttered, feeling his face heat up.

Nico nodded. “It’s fine. It’s all for show, after all, right?”

Jason gulped and he was glad the crowd could drown out the quivering in his voice.

“Right.”

Now as far as receptions go, Jason had never been to one as big as this, and not nearly as crazy. Hades and Persephone sat at the head table in the front of the ballroom with the other tables all gathered together. Nico and Jason sat on Persephone’s side while Frank and Hazel had been placed next to Hades. But all around there were children running around and adults that mingled and talked and switched to other seats and there were so many people.

Persephone leaned over to whisper in Nico’s ear. “You did a fantastic job today.”

He looked down at her, realizing, in surprise, that he had actually towered over petite Persephone.

“I just stood there.”

She nodded. “Not just that, you came. The week. You came and you fixed all those broken things.”

Nico shrugged. “Didn’t want this to be a bad time for you and my father.”

Persephone smiled at him. “I’m so glad we didn’t have an empty space at our table.”

Demeter took a mic and walked out onto the dancefloor. She wore her trademark tight bun and a red pantsuit that made her look professional and amazingly slim and elegant.

“Now it’s time for my daughter and son-in-law’s first dance as a married couple.”

The crowd cheered and Persephone winked at Nico as she got up and walked onto the dancefloor with Hades.

Nico leaned over and whispered in Jason’s ear. “Hey, I have to go play, I’ll be back.”

Jason nodded and suppressed the shiver that went down his neck when Nico’s breath brushed against his ear.

Jason watched and Persephone and Hades walked onto the stage and Nico went over to the piano that was placed right next to the dancefloor. The music began slowly, Nico’s voice ringing out in the ballroom as everyone watched in appreciative silence. Jason watched Persephone rest her head on Hades’ chest and they waltzed and swayed. Jason wondered if Nico would dance like that, or if he knew how to dance more than his father.

Jason listened to the music transition into a more modern slow song and Apollo ripped him from his reverie as he appeared in front of Jason in a tux, clean cut, well groomed, and looking impeccably suave.

“May I have this dance?”

Jason looked over at Nico, who sat at the piano, shoulders hunched, and hands flying over the piano in a way that Jason wished that he could play Jason as well as he played that piano. _Holy shit, did he just think that?_

Apollo grinned. “Oh come one, baby cousin won’t mind if I snatch his boy for just one dance.”

Jason sighed. “One dance?”

Apollo winked. “Unless you ask for more.”

Jason got up, heaved a sigh, and took Apollo’s outstretched hand.

As they stepped onto the dancefloor _GIMME! GIMME! GIMME! (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT)_ began to play on stereos that began to blast music and Jason turned to Apollo in shock.

Apollo shrugged. “I may have timed that.”

Jason looked over to see if any of his friends could help him. Reyna was flirting with a dark haired woman and Leo and Piper had just watched from the sidelines giggling and clutching their sides.

Apollo pulled him close, winding a hand around his waist as he yelled over the music. “Come on! This is Mamma Mia, a classic! Just dance with the music.”

Apollo began to sway them, and for a moment Jason felt stiff, but as a waiter passed he took a glass of champagne off the tray, gulped it down, and placed it back on the tray. The alcohol swam through his veins and he began to sway along with the song.

Apollo grinned. “That a boy!”

Jason is not a lightweight by any means, so when Apollo grabbed him by the hips and began to pull them closer he was just about to push away when a hand reached from behind Jason and shoved Apollo.

Jason turned to see Nico glaring at Apollo.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Nico said. Jason was sure he yelled, but with the music playing so loudly, it only came out as a muted statement.

Apollo put up his hands in surrender.

“We were just dancing, cuz.”

“You mean gyrating?”

Nico glared in between them and Jason tried to explain himself.

“Nico listen-”

Nico put up his hand and glared at him. “Save it. Do what you want. We’re not even dating, right?”

Nico stomped off and Apollo looked at Jason. “What’s he talking about?”

Jason spared a glance at him before running after Nico, who had broken through the crowd dancing and was now making his way to the patio.

The air was cooler out on the patio. Jason looked to see Nico leaning against the banister of the patio.

“Hey.” He said quietly.

Nico let out a sigh. Despite the fiery jealousy Nico felt for his cousin he had to drain at the sound of Jason tentatively trying to approach him. In all honesty, it was Nico’s fault he had lost his cool. He had stopped playing, asking around for Jason and when Piper and Leo had laughed and pointed to Jason and Apollo dancing, practically humping really, Nico had eyes, okay? It was Apollo’s fault, really, the man just couldn’t keep his hands or his penis to himself.

“Hi.” Nico said back, his voice equally soft.

Jason did that thing where he rubbed his neck when he was nervous, something Nico _knew_ he just couldn’t fight against.

“Listen, I’m sorry about your cousin. I swear I was going to-”

Nico held up his hand and gave him a smile that looked sad. “It’s fine. Honestly. Like I said, we’re not dating, you’re totally allowed to dance with whoever you want.”

 _I want to dance with you, you idiot._ Jason wanted to say.

“Oh, okay.” is what Jason actually said.

Nico went back to looking out at the sky and the desert hills.

“It’s just, it’s that I came here with you. I wanted to dance my first dance with you.” Jason said.

It was that, and also the fact that the moment Apollo had reach around and gripped Jason it felt so wrong. It felt wrong to dance with someone who’s cologne was too strong, and he was too muscular, and he wasn’t Nico. He wasn’t smaller and softer and thinner and paler and rough around edges Jason wanted to get to know. It wasn’t Nico. It felt wrong.

Nico turned to him and smirked. “Bet you couldn’t even waltz, Grace.”

Jason smiled back, glad that things were clear and resolved. “Teach me, then.”

Nico rolled his eyes and he walked to the doors where Jason lingered. “I bet you lead.”

Jason loomed over him, even if he was tall. He looked down at him, eyes glinting with mischief. “I’m willing to be topped with the right partner.”

Nico’s eyes widened and he sputtered as Jason turned and sauntered back inside. His shoulders swayed in his suit. Nico rolled his eyes.

Right before dinner Demeter clinked her glasses and everyone turned to her. Jason and Nico had taken their seats at the head table along with Hades, Persephone, and Frank and Hazel. Demeter turned and looked at Persephone and Hades.

“So, as far as a speech, I had many things prepared, but I find that things like this can’t be prepared for,” she gave them a soft smile, “and for such a long time I had always been preparing to have Persephone marry a doctor, or a lawyer, but Hades was not someone I imagined with my daughter. He is arrogant, selfish at times, and almost incompetent when it comes to wedding planning.” The entire room laughed, even Hades.

“For a long time, I had always seen Hades as the man who had kidnapped my daughter, had taken her heart without her permission and I was disappointed. But after seeing them together, these last few days with the kids, and with everything, they have handled it all gracefully, and together. It astounded me that they could work so well when I had never seen any indication of it being so. But it does. And this family, the one they will build together, I am so honored Hades has chosen my daughter and vice versa. I have gotten two wonderful grandchildren out of it and a mediocre son-in-law.”

The entire group clapped and cheered and Persephone made her way to her mother to give her a hug as tears ran down her face.

The room quieted and next to speak was Hazel.

She took the mic from Demeter who smiled at her kindly.

“Hi everyone.” She said nervously. There was a greeting in unison.

She turned to her father. “Where to start? Uh, well, a lot of you know that around the same time my dad found Persephone he found me.

“I was his biological daughter from a long time ago, my dad and mom have their history, and when my mom finally died I was sent to live with my dad.

“It felt strange living with a man I had never met before but was forced to call dad. But the moment I got here, it didn’t feel that way. Dad offered me all the things in the world, things I have never been able to dream about, and Persephone offered me the things I needed.” She turned to Frank, who stood beside her.

“Frank followed me because that’s just the kind of person he is and we both, we felt so welcomed here. Dad never turned me away and even if I was from a time before them, Persephone welcomed me too. I think Dad needs Persephone because sometimes he’ll give you want you want, but she teaches him what he needs. And I am so glad I can have the things I want,” she reached for Frank’s hand, “and the things I need.” She turned to Nico, Persephone, and Hades all sitting across the room. She walked back to the table and Hades and Persephone pulled her into a hug. Nico hung back awkwardly in his chair until Hades yanked him from it and he was enveloped by arms and warmth, and love.

“Now for the best man speech!” Demeter cheered.

The room erupted and Nico froze. He turned to Jason as if to ask for help but Jason just gave him a thumbs up and before he knew it some mysterious hands were forcing him into the dance floor to give a speech.

He smoothed the invisible wrinkles in his suit and stood straight.

“Okay, so I’m not very good at these so bear with me.” The room full of eyes gave him patient looks.

He turned to his new mother and his father.

“For a long time, I was always convinced my mother was the only person my father could love. It was obvious from a very early age that my mother was his soulmate, and when I found out that my mom’s nurse was dating my dad I went batshit.” The room bubbled with laughter. Nico felt a bit more at ease.

“But after a while I got used to it, it was easy. Getting over mom and Bianca wasn’t easy, but Persephone, she wasn’t trying to fill any holes. She was trying to help us patch them up, sew them up, let them disappear all together. Persephone is probably the best person in the world, which is why for a long time I couldn’t understand for the life of me why she wanted to marry my father.” Another chuckle from the guests.

“But today I realized it. I realized that sometimes love isn’t about how much you deserve someone, it’s about how much you need each other, how much you’re willing to give for the other person and if they’ll give it back. I have seen my father give Persephone the entire world in his hands, and she doesn’t take it. Not because she doesn’t want it, but because she doesn’t want the world. She wants my father. Seeing them together, it reminds me of what love is supposed to be like, selfless, pure, good, light-hearted, forgiving. Alone, my father had none of these qualities, but that doesn’t matter. Because Persephone is willing to share the, willing to share everything. And even if our family doesn’t deserve it, I like to think she’s the best second mom I’ll ever get.”

The guests jumped to their feet, cheering. The roar of so many family members cheering him on and clapping and celebrating words Nico finally meant vibrated in his ears and his lungs. Hades and Persephone turned to him and pull him into a tight hug. It is a hug so full of love and acceptance that Nico finally realized, it wasn’t Jason or anyone who he had come home for, but himself. He was the one who had forgiven his father, and he was the one who would try harder, and it was all him. He had done this for him, and the acceptance, the welcoming with open arms, that didn’t come from perfect boyfriends or ideal careers or well thought out college degrees. It came from forgiving, forgiving himself and forgiving his father. Nico smiled at them wide, feeling warmth bloom in his chest.

Hades smiled at him. “Perfect, my boy. Just perfect.” And yeah, it really fucking was.

Jason and Nico flopped down on the bed at three o’clock in the morning. They were sweaty from all the dancing, but happy. Jason let out a breath.

“Man does your family know how to party.”

Nico nodded. “You should have seen Uncle Bacchus’ thirtieth birthday party. There was a llama.”

Jason let out a laugh and turned to Nico as they lay there carelessly.

“It’s over.” Jason felt a sigh of relief wash through him, and his courage to finally tell Nico began to build.

Nico’s stomach dropped. “Right. It’s over.”

Jason turned to him. “Once we get back to New York things will be so much better.”

He felt the words begin to flow from his mouth. They wanted to be freed, wanted Nico to hear them before it was too late. Jason needed Nico to know.

Nico didn’t need to be reminded. He hated being reminded that once they flew tomorrow that would be it. They would go back to passing glances in classes and barely seeing each other outside of their group of close-knit friends.

“Right, listen, I’m going to go hang out with Reyna tonight.”

Jason frowned. This couldn’t be happening. “Wait, you’re not- you’re not staying here tonight?”

Jason looked at him with wide eyes but he just casted a glance to anything that wasn’t him. “Yeah, she, uh, we need to talk.”

He got up quickly, and Jason reached for him. “Nico, wait!”

But he had already slipped out of the door and down the hall.

Leo poked his head in. “Trouble in paradise?”

Jason gave him a look. “You would not believe the half of it.”

Reyna sighed as Minerva left her room, straps of her dress loose and her hair askew.

“This had better be good.”

Nico looked at her with wide, worried eyes and she dropped the act, giving him a concerned look.

“Nico, what’s wrong? What happened?”

Nico gave her a sad look. “I think I’m in love with Jason Grace.”

She groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *holds love confession for the finally chapter*  
> Am I? Or aren't I???? Just wait and seeeeeee. . .


	7. Day Seven: The Finale! . . . Sort of.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author knows jack shit about modes of transportation, people say goodbye, and well. . . The rest you have to figure out by reading!

Nico was shaken awake at eight o’clock in the morning. He had slept on the floor of Reyna’s assigned guest room. He opened his eyes blearily and looked around. He had slept on the floor and Reyna looked at him over the edge of her bed.

“Come on! Hurry up! You have an hour until you need to be at the airport!”

Nico jumped and ran out the door, her laugh following him down the hall. He ran into his room and saw Jason flitting around, collecting his things and folding clothes. He smiled at Nico sadly, Nico tried not to feel so bad about that.

Jason watched him slip into the room and smiled at him guiltily. He could do it now, really, any time would be perfect. He should just say it to Nico now. It was perfect really, they were in Nico’s childhood bedroom, packing to leave to never see each other again, scratch that terrible idea, really. He just couldn’t force himself to say those words. He had never really had to chase someone, had to try and get someone to notice him, because everyone had always approached him. He had never needed the ability to speak his feelings because everyone else had that. Jason wondered if this is what it felt like to have a crush on someone who you saw as a best friend. God, he wanted to vomit. JUST SAY IT, Jason was convinced the voice in his head was Thalia.  

“Sleep well?” He said. Jason Grace is a coward and he has fully convinced himself that really the only reason that Nico is not dating him right now is because he deserves it and he had chosen to be a coward for the rest of his mortal life.

Nico nodded silently as he began to shove his belongings into his suitcases. He would leave every now and again with some stray item he was missing, but Jason watched him intently.

Nico knew Jason was staring, it was obvious and a bit weird. He was too tired to analyze it, but he knew something was wrong. Half an hour before they were supposed to leave and Nico huffed, turning to Jason.

“Did I do something?” He said curtly.

Jason’s eyes widened in surprise. “Wha-”

“Because you keep staring at me and I’ve noticed.” Nico crossed his arms and glowered.

Jason was pretty convinced that he looked like a pouty puppy.

“What? Oh, uh, no, nothing. Sorry.”

He turned back to his luggage, but Nico stood there for a moment before returning to the packing. It wasn’t his fault, really. It was just that the staring had been since last night, and Nico, silly and hopeful as he is, thinks Jason might even like him. But guys like Jason don’t like guys like Nico and he knew that, and even if he believed that he deserved things like that didn’t mean he got them.

They zipped up their bags and Jason offered to take them downstairs as Nico lingered in the room.

He looked around at the room and let out a wistful sigh. The walls were deep blue, the bed was a queen sized. Nico remembered distinctly for the few years he lived here after Bianca and before Hazel it had felt as though the bed was too empty, too expansive, too lonely. Outside of his window the river that ran through town ran through their estate. Nico could picture himself, smaller, happier, brighter, throwing stones with Bianca as his father stood under the shade of a tree and his mother dipped her feet in when she had the energy to walk. He was ten when his last summer with his mother had come to pass.

He turned away from the window and the photos. He looked at the dresser where pictures of Bianca and Maria and himself at a younger age. He smiled at the single photo of himself, aged ten and smiling at the camera as if he had no worries. Nico missed him, missed that boy who believed in magic tricks and getting better. Nico wanted to believe in those things, wanted magic tricks and wanted to get better.

He put the photo in his bag before he closed his door behind him with a loud click.

Jason waited at the foot of the stairs as Nico made his way down. He smiled at Nico, Nico felt as though his throat was closing.

“Ready to go?”

Nico turned to look up the stairs. Somehow he knew he would be back soon. He couldn’t stay away anymore.

“Yeah. I really am.”

Hazel, Frank, Piper, and Leo were waiting outside in the car. Reyna and Demeter stood by the door as Persephone and Hades led Jason to the car. Nico hated goodbyes but knew that he didn’t have to worry about them, he’d see them soon.

Reyna wrapped her arms around him. “I’ll be there in a month. It was so nice seeing you.”

Nico leaned into the touch for the first time in a long time. “I can’t wait.”

“Fix things with Jason.” She whispered.

He nodded before pulling away.

She offered up her fist for a fist bump.

He bumped it with a chuckle.

He turned to Demeter who smiled at him.

“It’s truly been a joy, my boy! Oh and that boyfriend of yours, positively a catch. Keep him, I say. As I always say just as a seed produces a plant, so do our actions produce results-”

“Goodbye, grandmama. It was so nice to see you.” He interrupted.

She gave him one of those smiles that said she had so much to say but he was thankful she didn’t. He would miss her, miss the house and the garden, he’d miss things that would be there when he came back, and for Nico that was a new feeling.

“We will see more of you, won’t we, my boy?”

Nico looked over to where Jason had laughed at Persephone’s joke and Hades was giving him a moderately fond look.

“Yeah. Definitely.”

“Oh, good!”

He kissed her and Reyna on the cheek and made his way to the car.

The ride to the airport was silent but comfortable. When they arrived at to the terminal Jules Albert unloaded all their luggage and Piper and Leo went to wait inside as the family said their goodbyes.

But not before Piper grinned at them. “Thanks for letting us stay for half the week.”

Persephone smiled kindly. “It was our pleasure, dear. You are all welcome to come when you wish.”

Leo gasped. “Seriously?! Because I saw that sweet set-up in the workshop by the garage.”

Hades waved a hand. “Feel free to take a crack at it whenever it pleases you.”

Leo cheered but Piper pushed him through the doors, waving at Persephone and Hades as they did.

Hazel turned to Hades and Persephone pulled them into a hug. “I’ll miss you!”

Hades seemed shocked by such a public and passionate display of affection, but he leaned into her bouncy cinnamon colored curls. When she pulled away Nico noticed that his fingers ran through her hair as though he was committing the texture to memory.

“We will see you at Thanksgiving and Christmas, won’t we?” Hades had said it more to Hazel and Frank when she pulled away.

Frank nodded. “Of course. You always do.”

Hades smirked at him. “That is good. Be careful with my Hazel.”

Frank nodded and gave him a firm handshake. It was Frank’s version of intimacy and it seemed completely fitting. Jules Albert gave them their bags and they made their way inside with Piper and Leo as Hades and Persephone turned to Jason and Nico.

Hades sighed as he looked at his son.

Nico felt the same. In a strange way this wedding had been the best thing to happen to either of them. So many things they could have solved before, but Nico had been young and angry and justified, and now. . . Now it was different. Nico wasn’t looking for someone to blame. He was looking for someone to love him in the way he needed. His father had showed he was ready to give that. Slowly and steadily they’d be happy again.

“My boy, I have truly loved spending this week with you.”

Nico gave him a small smile. “Me too.” Jason could tell that he meant it.

They stood apart, seeming like they wanted to say something, anything really, but Persephone just heaved a sigh.

“Dear christ, I must do everything.”

And they slammed together in a hug. Persephone in the middle of it, but nico leaned and Hades patted his back.

When they pulled away Persephone was grinning smugly.

Hades put a hand on Nico’s shoulder. “If you need help, money, anything, do not hesitate to tell me, son.”

Nico nodded. “I will.”

Hades widened his eyes. “It’s not that I’m trying to buy you, Nico. Not at all.”

Nico chuckled and just stared at him. “I know, father.”

Hades and Persephone then turned to Jason.

Jason gulped.

Hades wound an arm around Persephone and they gave him a fond look. Jason didn’t think that helped his fear.

Hades reached out for a handshake. “You are not as bad as I originally thought, Jason Grace.”

Jason shook his hand with the one that hadn’t been holding Nico’s hand. “Thank you, sir.”

Persephone smiled at him. “Thank you so much for taking care of Nico these last few months. It means the world to us.”

Jason nodded, swallowing the guilt that bubbled and scratched at his throat.

Hades gave him a serious look then. “In all seriousness, Jason, I cannot thank you enough for taking care of my son in way I cannot.”

Jason was going to pass out. He was sure he was going to hell, maybe deeper than hell. He’d be going somewhere lower than hell, because Hayden di Angelo had just thanked him and it was all a big fat lie. Lower than hell, definitely.

Jason nodded his head.

Hades turned back to Nico. “It’s time you must go, but we will see you again soon, won’t we?”

Hades’ tone was desperate, as though he’d gotten used to the idea of Nico coming and going often. Nico kind of loved that tone.

Nico smiled at him. “As long as you won’t be cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Remember the year after mom died?”

It felt good to bring up things, to remember. Back then it had been severely depressing and sad and Bianca had cried, but Hades had burned dinner, and the only thing that had been salvaged was the pumpkin pie, the signature pumpkin pie that Maria had made them every year since they were babies. That first year they had all cried at the table as they ate it, and now, thinking on it, it hadn’t been so bad. The pie had tasted good.

Hades let out a strangled chuckle. “Of course.”

Persephone smiled at him. “I won’t even let him near the kitchen.”

Nico nodded and turned to Jason. “Consider us there.”

Jason nearly choked on air, because that implied this would last beyond this weekend, right? It had to.

Persephone smiled at them as Jules Albert handed them their luggage. Hades and Persephone waved at them as they walked through the doors of the terminal. Nico felt good, light, lighter than he ever had before when he left home. Before coming back to New York had always involved long sighs and drained energy from the entire time he was here and Hades had been insufferable. But it was different, Nico actually LOOKED FORWARD to seeing them again. He also wondered what Hades face would look like when he was told Persephone was pregnant.

He saw the package in the bathroom upstairs before she had rushed in and taken it with her. He smiled at himself as he made his way over to the place where they had begun boarding.

Jason was pretty sure that sitting in a plane with Nico for ten hours was not going to go well. It was different than the first time. There was no talking, no wild explanations of things, but it was quiet, still, forced.

Hazel and Frank sat directly behind them this time, with Piper and Leo in front of them.

While they were still boarding Leo turned to them with a devilish grin. “Try not to join the Mile High club, okay, kids?”

Nico sighed a long suffering sigh but Jason stuttered and punched Leo.

“I swear, why are we still friends?”

Leo grinned. “Because I am amazing and a total stud.”

Piper rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.”

She turned to Nico and Jason. “I apologize for his behavior. He is worse than my five year old cousin.”

Leo made an indignant noise but sat back down.

Jason and Nico spent the majority of the plane’s travel in silence. Nico had fallen asleep against the window with his headphones in and Jason hadn’t bothered to consider waking him up. But Jason wanted him to wake up soon, because he needed to tell Nico. His brain had been developing ways to say the things he needed to say.

 _Nico, I know it's only been a few days but I've been following you around for the past two years_ \- God no, not that.

 _Nico, it's only been a week but I've been friends with your friends for a long time and I think_ \- Nope. Not that either.

Nico opened his eyes and stretched when they flew over Pennsylvannia. Jason sighed with relief but just as soon did he tense up. He had to say something. He couldn’t go back to New York and go back to those regular days where he had no idea who Nico di Angelo was, and how funny and kind and sad, and no Jason would not go back to that.

He deliberately for half an hour. He thought of ways to tell Nico, his headphones were out, so Jason didn’t have to worry about him not hearing it.

Jason turned to Nico, this was finally it. Jason Grace refused to live his life as a coward, he would give himself the things he wanted. “Nico. I need to tell you something and you need to listen right now.”

Nico turned to him.

_“Excuse me, passengers, we are now landing. If you could please fasten your seat belts and prepare for landing.”_

“Goddammit!” Jason yelled. Several people turned to him in surprise and a woman with her baby who had cried the entire flight covered her baby’s ears.

Nico turned to him. “Jason, what’s wrong?”

What’s wrong? _WHAT’S WRONG?_ What’s wrong is that Jason had been trying for five days straight to gather up the courage and say things he wasn’t even entirely sure the young man would understand. What’s wrong is that Jason has had it up to HERE with the damn universe WORKING AGAINST HIM AT EVERY POSSIBLE TURN. Jason wanted to give up, really. The universe had decided that Jason had taken too long, and was too stupidly in love to give him the one thing he wants.

He sighed and looked at his hands. “Nothing.” Jason had decided that the universe is a terrible and fateless harpy who hated seeing him happy.

Nico fidgeted in his seat when they finally landed. They had all decided to wait until everyone else filed out and then they all grabbed their carry ons. They made their way out of the plane and through the airport to their luggage pick-up.

When they all finally grabbed their bags they said good-bye. Piper, Leo, and Jason would be going back to campus on a shuttle bus that would come in an hour for them. Frank, Hazel, and Nico would be picking up a cab and going back to their own apartments.

Piper and Leo left to get their vouchers for a shuttle. Frank and Hazel were attempting (and failing) to get a cab.

They stood in front of each other and Nico stared at his tattered shoes instead of Jason. This was the end, this was it, and Nico couldn’t gather the courage in himself to finally say something, to admit anything. Because young men like him didn’t get superhero boyfriends like Jason Grace who had given up a week of his life to pretend to be Nico’s boyfriend. Nico couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

Jason stared at him, trying to force the words out.

 _Oh come on, now you decide to keep quiet. AFTER ALL THIS TIME_ , his brain screamed. Jason wanted to scream in rage and frustration, but he couldn’t, couldn’t make anything come out of his mouth. Jason Grace was doomed to the life a coward and will forever be one, but also a lonely one because he can’t get enough courage and strength to tell Nico what he’d told girls he liked all throughout high school. But that was just it, Nico wasn’t some high school crush, Jason had developed very real, very aggressively romantic feelings. Jason wished he had enough of ANYTHING to say something. Nothing happened. His mouth floundered and Nico was still looking down and Hazel was making her way over and this was it. This was the ast time Jason would get to make this declaration. Here, he had to say it, right here in the crowded airport. He could. He had to.

They stood apart in the crowded airport. JFK International was crowded with people, shouldering past and rushing to and from places and countries. Without a word Hazel dragged Nico away to their cab where Frank awaited. Nothing. No words, from either of them, just tense silence, silence filled with words neither of them could say.

Nico turned back, his sister guiding him through the crowd and he watched Jason fade into a crowd of people without faces.

Jason waved goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *evil cackling*
> 
> Okay okay so I know I am unfair, but to be fair I thought that maybe I did right! Let me know in the comments if you want an extra chapter to see what happens after. And I am so sorry for torturing you all so!


	8. The FINALE Finale. It is. . . I swear.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author decides to stop torturing you beautiful and glorious readers, Jason and Nico get called assholes a lot, and Percy is finally in the story. Everything is wrapped up and maybe this got a little bit away from me in the middle but you demanded more and thou shalt receive.

Nico didn’t mention Jason once they had left the airport. He stood at the opening of his apartment into the lobby and stared up at the building. Home hadn’t been the same. It had been nice to be home, sure, to his little home in the cozy but not suffocating walls of the life he had built for himself. But every time he entered and went to the kitchen he half expected Jason to be there making him food, instead there was loneliness and an empty fridge. Nico tried to be okay with that.

A week after his return back to New York City his phone rang.

“Hello.” He said softly.

“My boy,” Hades said in relief, “I am so glad you picked up. I wanted to make sure you had gotten home and settled in safely.”

Nico nodded to the empty apartment. “I’m doing just fine. Thanks, dad.” The word seemed weird on his tongue but it also felt right. It finally felt right.

There was a commotion over the phone and Hades sighed. “It seems we’re moving again. I will call you once we are home from the honeymoon, Nico.”

Nico found his voice was finally a comfort. It was strange, but it wasn’t harsh and clipped, it wasn’t venomous and restricting. It was baritone, and suave. Nico wouldn’t mind calls from his father once in a while. He wouldn’t even mind if they became a regular thing.

“Okay, dad. Have fun.”

And the line went silent. Nico looked around the room, looking for something, anything, to fill that strange void that had now taken up in the pit of his stomach.

****  
  
  


Jason went to school, went home, ate, and went to bed. That was the pattern for three weeks after he returned home, with work splattered in there every so often. He wouldn't, and still won't, admit that a vast majority of the time taken up in between those events is spent searching for Nico on campus and in his classes and when their friends invited Leo, Piper, and Jason out.

On a Friday, three weeks since Jason had watched Nico leave JFK International, not that he had counted, Piper plopped down on his couch right next to him. He was watching a romcom, trying not to feel bitter as the main protagonists finally getting together at the end.

“Jason we need to talk.”

Leo sat down on his other side. “This is the fourth time you've watched 27 Dresses in three weeks man. What's up?”

Jason frowned. “Nothing. Why are you guys asking?”

Piper rolled her eyes. “Please. We haven't even heard you mention Nico once since you came home. And you've been walking around like a lost puppy.”

Jason looked between them.

He stared at his hands, guilty. He figured the lying didn't matter anymore.

“Yeah. . . the thing about that. . .”

Piper and Leo looked at him.

“Nico and I. . . we never really. . . We weren't actually in a relationship.”

Piper frowned. “What?”

Jason rubbed his neck. “Well Nico needed help, see, and Frank and Hazel asked me. And I had seen Nico in class, and I thought I could help.”

Leo frowned. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, you mean to tell me you _weren’t_ dating Di Angelo?"

Jason nodded.

Piper frowned. “That can't be right.”

Jason looked at her. “It's true.”

Piper nodded. “No, I mean, you and him. That can't be right. He's in love with you.”

Leo shook his head to himself. “Man, I _knew_  you wouldn't have kept that to yourself. I knew there was something going on.”

Jason shook his head. “Piper, I was just his stand in. That's it.”

Leo sighed. “I dunno, man. I'm with Piper. He definitely was not looking at you in the friend way.”

Piper nodded. “Exactly. Plus I’ve seen people kiss people they’re not interested in, and Nico di Angelo did not kiss you like he wasn’t interested in you.”

Jason sighed and went back to where Katherine Hiegl was shouting at her obvious love interest in the movie. Jason knew any moment now they’d kiss.

Leo sighed. “Jason you gotta stop with the moping.”

Jason kept watching the movie.

Piper gave a long suffering sigh. “I didn’t want to have to do this but,” she pulled out her phone to send a text.

Jason turned to her in curiosity. “What are you doing?”

Piper’s fingers flew. “You, my dear boy, are going to have an intervention.”

Jason rose from the couch but Leo shoved him back. “Oh no you don’t, cowboy. You have been moping way too long, boyfriend or no boyfriend.”

“I’m fine. Both of you are overreacting to a problem that doesn’t even exist.”

Piper scoffed. “Please! Leo asked you if you wanted to see the new Superman movie and you sat in your room and listened to The Front Bottoms!”

Jason made an indignant noise. “What’s wrong with The Front Bottoms?”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Your _sister_  listens to them. And she only listens to them when she breaks up with one of her girlfriends.”

Jason crossed his arms. “They’re a good band.”

Piper sighed. “I’m not arguing that. I love them just as much as the next person, but face it, you are heartbroken. Whether you want to believe that or not.”

Jason deliberated for a moment. Then he spoke cautiously.

“I may. . . _or may not_ be a little bit sort of in love with him.”

He said him as those the tone of emphasis was enough to clue them into who he was talking about.

Leo whooped. “Knew it! I mean, I just found out like ten minutes ago it was all a sham, but I knew you were totally in love with that kid!”

Jason gave him a look. “Leo, he’s the same age as us.”

Leo waved a hand. “Semantics, Grace.”

“He’s taller than you!”

Leo just cackled.

Piper looked at him. “So what are you going to do to get him back?”

Jason looked at her in shock. “What?”

“You are going to get him back, aren’t you?” She said, with a raised eyebrow.

Jason wrung his hands, the confusion, frustration, and pining back in full force. “I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t?” Leo said.

Jason frowned at him. “Exactly that. I tried to do it and I choked.”

They both stood there for a moment before they were both chuckling to themselves. “Come on, Jason! It’s Nico we’re talking about!” Piper said after a while.

Leo nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I’m sure you go for the whole hipster emo grunge look, and even if the guy is slightly creepy, I bet you could do it easy-peasy.”

Jason sighed, threw up his arms, and leaned back against the couch. “It isn’t that simple.”

“What makes it so complicated?” Piper asked.

Jason just let out a sigh.

****  
  
  


Nico’s phone rang on the third week.

“Nico, we need to talk.” A voice said from across the line.

“Um, is this,” Nico struggled to recognize the voice, “Piper? Is that you?”

“SH! can’t talk here. Meet me at the cafe a block away from your apartment.”

“How did you even get my address?”

The line went dead.

Nico walked into the cafe and ordered a coffee before he turned and saw Piper and Leo sitting in a corner. The barista handed him his coffee and he made his way over to their spot.

Nico sighed. “What is it? And why were you acting so strange on the phone?”

Piper leaned forward. “We know.”

Nico stalled for a moment, furrowing his brows and not necessarily understanding what she meant until she got that glint in her eye and Nico understood quite a lot.

“Okay, right, well-”

Leo put up a hand to stop him. “Save it. We know and we’re here for something else.”

“What would that be?” Nico asked as he crossed his arms.

Piper grinned, but Nico knew it was the kind of grin evil villains in comic books used. It scared him a bit.

“We want to help get you and Jason together.”

Nico looked away, from embarrassment or panic he wasn’t sure. “Jason isn’t interested in me like that.”

Leo and Piper gave each other a look, one that spoke volumes of their annoyance, frustration, and the overall obliviousness of these two idiots.

Leo sighed. “Man, listen, I have it on good authority that Jason Grace wants to date you so hard. So hard, dude. So I think it’s in your best interest to just listen to what we’re saying.”

Nico frowned. “My best interests? You barely knew me when we hung out with Hazel so I don’t think you’re really one to-”

“ _The point of the matter_ ,” Piper chimed in, stopping his rant before it could escalate, “is that Leo and I, we’re rooting for you guys, really. I am so sure you’re in love with him and hey I feel like Jason is _definitely_  feeling something.”

Nico crossed his arms, thinking, deliberating. Really, this could end badly, worse than that, it could end even worse. Right now Nico was at a point where he hadn’t left his apartment for anything besides school, work, and grocery shopping. Hazel had invited him out to parties, but Nico knew her, knew she’d ditch him the second she got there if only because she would rush off to find Jason and squish them together in an awkward happenstance of fate. Nico was just fine this way, it was easier this way. It was less painful this way.

Leo looked at him. “Come on, what have you got to lose, kid?”

In truth, everything, his dignity, his self-respect, his self-esteem. Nico just stared at them.

“No.”

Piper looked slightly shocked. “Wait, so you’re _not_  in love with Jason?”

Nico shrugged and put the coffee to his lips. “It’s not something I want people meddling in. It’s my private business and if I don’t ever get together with someone, well, that’s my fault.”

Nico was getting really tired of the wisdom that did not help whatsoever.

Leo laughed out loud, and sighed. “Oh god, you and Grace, what a bunch of self-sacrificing assholes. You’re perfect for each other.”

Nico frowned at him. “Who said I was self-sacrificing?”

Leo just shook his head. “Please, the whole ‘I’m not going to date you because I think you deserve better’ trope is not a good look on you. On either of you, yet you are still wearing it.”

Nico shook his head. “This isn’t about sacrifice. I didn’t say anything, now it’s too late.”

Piper gave him a peculiar stare, she turned her head sideways and gave him a look as though she was curious of him.

“Why is it too late?”

“Because I should have said something at the airport and I didn’t and now it’s complicated.”

Leo whistled. “If you ask me, di Angelo, it’s you makin’ a bunch of sorry ass excuses for not asking out my boy, Grace.”

Nico glared at him. “It’s a good thing I didn’t ask you then, is it?”

Leo put up his hands in surrender. “Yo man, just calls ‘em like I sees ‘em. You and Jason set up all these arbitrary restrictions for _yourselves_ , not anyone else. You guys are just way too scared of your feelings.”

Nico threw up his arms in frustration. “I’m not scared of my feelings!”

Piper looked at him, and he almost shivered from the way her eyes searched his as if to find the answer to a question she was about to ask.

“Then what are you scared of, Nico?”

“Absolutely nothing!” Nico nearly shouted.

Leo gave him a conspiratorial grin. “So you’ll let us help you?”

Nico threw his half empty coffee cup into the trash bin nearby. “No.”

He walked away as he heard Piper mutter, “Absolute idiots, I gotta say.”

He walked faster.

Reyna moved into his three bedroom apartment a week after the incident with Piper and Leo.

She texted him to get his butt to the lobby to help her move her things up.

“Thank god you have a working elevator in this building.” She said as she struggled with boxes in her hands.

Nico took them from her with ease. “One of the many perks.”

Reyna made a noise that would have sounded like a scoff if she hadn’t been so out breath.

They plopped down on the couch and Reyna looked around.

“Hmm, your interior decorating skills have improved.”

Nico smirked. “There’s a gay joke in there somewhere.”

Reyna smiled at him and got up to look at the photos on the walls and small shelves all around the apartment that were filled mostly with books, but also framed photos.

Reyna pointed to the photo of himself where he was smiling at the camera. Nico couldn’t stand looking at it for a long time, it made him sad.

“You at ten?” She asked.

Nico furrowed his brow. “How did you know?”

Reyna sighed and looked at him as though she was equally sad looking at the photo. “You’re smiling in the photo.”

Nico gulped, suddenly aware that for a large portion of his life he had been extremely alone and sad. Smiling had stopped when he was ten. When college started and he was away from a family that had been too stifling there had been more smiling, but not enough, never enough. Because his friends were all happy, and he wasn’t and for a long time that had been true. Nico didn’t want that to be the case anymore.

Reyna put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a soft look. “It’s okay. We’re getting better.”

We. That had always been Reyna’s way of saying that his burdens were her burdens, and even if they hadn’t said it out loud Nico knew what it meant, to both of them.

He nodded, giving her a small, but honest, smile.

Reyna looked over his shoulder and grinned. She pointed to the photo on the bookshelf by the door.

“Is that what I think it is?”

Nico looked over and his eyes widened before he could protest she already had the frame in her hands.

“Listen, that’s not. . .”

Reyna waggled her eyebrows. “Kept a memento did you?”

The photo was one Persephone had sent to him two weeks ago, wrapped carefully and in it’s frame. Nico had choked a bit at the display of familial affection and he had cleared space in his apartment just for it. Nico figured it had been time to start making space for his father’s life in his apartment. The photo was of Nico and Jason, the lighting had been perfect and they had been dancing to a slow song. In their impeccable suits it had looked like Nico belonged there, belonged with Jason in ways he was allowed to wish for. Jason's arms were wrapped around him and his head was on Jason's shoulder.

She looked at the photo fondly. “How did that go by the way?”

Nico scuffled his feet and looked around the room.

Reyna looked up, realization dawning her face. “You did fix it like I said, didn’t you?”

“I tried!” Nico cried.

Reyna let out a groan and put the frame back. It would be spared from her wrath and Nico was thankful for that.

“I _specifically_  told you to do it! One thing Nico!”

“You try confessing your love to someone!”

“I have, Nico! I also almost got shot in Syria! Which one is harder?!”

Nico frowned at her. “Hey, we all have our demons, okay?”

Reyna shook her head as if to concede. “That may be true, but I faced mine. You are now straight out saying they don’t exist when they’re following you around like ugly puppies!”

Nico felt the urge to stomp his foot but he knew that really would not help Reyna’s argument. “It’s complicated!”

Reyna scoffed and shook her head. “You’re making it more complicated! You and stupid Jason Grace, god what did I ever do in a past life to get stuck with you emotionally constipated assholes?”

“Hey!” Nico said.

Reyna shot him a look. “Oh please, you really can’t argue that right now.”

She pulled on her sweater and went for the door.

“Where are you going?” Nico asked.

Reyna shook her head. “Errands.”

Nico knew she was lying.

****  
  
  


Jason was sitting on the couch after a long day of work. He was watching The Ultimate Spiderman with Leo when Reyna came knocking.

Leo turned to the door. “Who is it?”

The banging came right after. “Jason, I know you’re in there! Open up!”

Jason darted up from the couch. “Don’t let her know I’m here!”

Leo looked up in confusion. “What? Why?”

Jason shuffled. “She’s going to make me talk to _him_.”

Leo grinned. “Oh really?” And he darted up from the couch. He ran for the door and it was being swung open before Jason could even move his feet.

Reyna was poised to knock again but lowered her fist. “Oh, it’s you.”

Leo feigned offense. “Ouch, Ramirez. You wound me so.”

Reyna rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. Now where’s Jason?”

Leo blocked the view of the apartment and Jason would be forever grateful. “What’s it to ya, toots?”

Reyna took a step forward. “Call me toots one more time and I will break your nose and clavicle.”

Leo gulped and nodded. “Gotcha. Now, my boy Grace, see he’s not really fit for company right now.”

Reyna took a step back and glowered at him. “Tell Jason, who I KNOW is listening right now, that he’d better be fit for company soon.”

Leo nodded, though even he was physically shaken and he closed the door.

“How the hell did she even get inside the building?” Leo wondered out loud to no one in particular.

Jason nodded. “I don’t know, but she’ll be back. And she’s bringing Nico.”

This was a disaster.

Leo scoffed. “Please, that can’t be that bad. You made out with the guy for Christ’ sake.”

“I’m going to embarrass myself!” Jason nearly shouted.

Leo rolled his eyes. “Oh god, stop being such a drama queen. Literally everyone and they’re grandmothers love you. I’m pretty sure Frank’s grandma likes you more than him.”

It was Jason’s turn to roll his eyes. “Stay focused, Leo. That’s not even the point.”

“That is _exactly_  the point, Grace. You are an obviously attractively bisexual and Nico is an equally attractive,” Jason glowered, “whoa boy, calm down, not interested, anyway he’s an attractive gay man. You are an attractive bisexual man, and together you will make cute babies. But first you have to actually _t_ _alk_.”

Jason nodded. “No, Leo. He’s not into me like that.”

Leo crossed his arms. “Why not? Give me three reasons why he’s not.”

Jason looked around frantically as if the apartment would give him the answers he needed.

“Uhm, I. . . Well he didn’t say anything.”

Leo raised an eyebrow. “And?”

Jason sighed. “He would have said something.”

“Nico is a pretty closed off guy. I highly doubt it.”

“Well I kissed him and he never kissed me back.” Jason knew it was a lie the moment it came out of his mouth.

Leo rolled his eyes. “Please, I _wish_  a girl would kiss me the way you guys kissed.”

Jason rubbed his neck. His brain had ran empty for excuses. Jason was mostly a coward who couldn’t embarrass himself again. Not after the debacle where Nico had _fallen asleep_  when Jason had confessed his feelings.

Leo grinned at him. “You don’t have any more excuses do you?”

Jason threw himself on the couch. “No, okay? Not any. I just don’t want to be embarrassed again.”

Leo sighed and sat next to him. “Come on, dude. The worst is that he doesn’t talk to you and you have an awkward biology class for the rest of the year and then pretend to avoid each other for the entirety of college. I mean, I’ve done that with all the girls I’ve gone on failed dates with.”

It was different this time. Jason was _in love_. This wasn’t some random girl he’d seen in his psych class. It was _Nico_. Nico who was kind and funny and patient and closed off and had somehow let Jason in in a matter of days. This was more than just dates because when Nico said he didn’t love Jason and Jason would finally be the person pining helplessly it would make Nico awkward and uncomfortable, and Jason wouldn’t be able to look him in the eyes. This was more than just dates.

Jason sighed.

Leo leaned into his shoulder. “Man, come on, what’s eating you up?”

Jason sighed and ran fingers through his short hair. “It’s different. _He’s_  different.”

Leo just patted his back. “It’ll be easy. Just look him in the eyes and go for it.”

Jason went up and went to his room. Predictably he played The Front Bottoms and stared at his ceiling until he fell asleep.

A week turned into a month and Thalia came to his apartment at three in the morning.

“Jason! Open the door! My key is broken!”

Piper popped her head into his room. “Jason, if you don’t answer that door I am going to kill you and leave your dead body for your sister to find. And I will _not_  regret it.”

Piper had a morning class in cosmetics.

Jason threw aside his covers and made his way to his front door and opened it to find Thalia standing there in leather pants, a crop top that read in bold **_Spoiler Alert: I don’t fucking care_**. She wore a leather jacket and black stilettos to complete the ensemble.

“Took ya long enough, baby brother.”

Jason wiped the sleep from his eyes. “Thalia? What are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to get here for another week.”

Thalia smiled at him. “Come on, I missed my baby brother. And Diana let me off for a month to come visit you.”

Jason swung open the door and stepped aside in way of invitation. Thalia drudged her bags through the doorway and Jason took them to his room.

She looked around the cozy apartment. There were photos of Piper, Leo and Jason hung everywhere with Leo and his mom in a few and Piper with her dad and grandfather in others.

On a little cabinet by the kitchen Thalia spotted a photo and grinned.

“Is that the one everyone keeps telling me about?”

The photo was one Hazel had given him three weeks ago when she had seen him at a party Percy and Annabeth threw for their impending pregnancy. Hazel had it wrapped in plain brown paper, but the frame was excellent and the photo itself was amazing. The lighting was just right and Nico had looked so at peace. His hair fell perfectly against Jason’s shoulder as they danced to a song Jason barely remembered but he had remembered Reyna mentioning it had been by Panic! At The Disco. Jason couldn’t tell what it was but he had spent weeks looking for the song. He found it of course, and now Northern Downpour played at night when he missed Nico sleeping next to him. It was four measly days and Jason had gotten too used to the boy with fragile bones that slept like he was clinging to someone to chase away the things in his dreams that had once been nightmares.

Jason sighed. He hadn’t wanted to put it out in the open, but Piper had insisted.

“Yeah it is. . . Wait. Who told you?”

Thalia rolled her eyes and made herself comfortable but sitting down and putting her feet up on the coffee table. Jason tried not to chastise her.

“Please. Percy won’t shut up about it, Leo and Piper have sent me at least three texts a day saying I need to save them from your lovestruck pining, and god even Annabeth is worried. But then again Annabeth worries a little too much.”

Jason sat down next to her. “Our friends are meddling jerks and I don’t know why I like them.”

Thalia chuckled. “Because they have your best interests at heart. Besides, Percy introduced me to Hazel, and she talked _a lot_  about Nico. Went on and on about the guy, so I can see what the hype is all about.”

Jason just looked ahead at the TV. “You haven’t even met him yet.”

Thalia conceded and grinned at him. Jason hated that grin. It was the grin that had convinced him that regular human infants were capable of eating staplers.

“Well I will when we throw a ‘I just got home from spreading the gospel of feminism and welcome me home’ party.”

Jason’s eyes went wide. “You wouldn’t.”

She cackled and Leo banged on the wall, his signal for _shut the fuck up and go to sleep_. “Oh I would, Jason. Not to mention, I heard all about your stupid avoidance strategy. Time to do a little confessing.”

Jason frowned at her. “You have no right, Thalia. No right.”

Thalia sighed. “I don’t. But see, baby brother, _everyone_  but you and little Nico di Angelo has figured out that you are both equally and stupidly and completely in love with each other. And it’s time to set the record, er, straight, for lack of a better word.”

Jason gulped. “When’s the party?”

Thalia gave him a wide grin. “Six days from now. Next Saturday.”

Jason nearly fainted.

****  
  
  


“Oh, come on, Nico! You haven’t gone out in ages! It’s been two months since you got back!” Hazel was pleading desperately with him as she sat beside him in his bed.

He shook his head. “Nope. Not in the mood.”

Hazel sighed and looked down. “You’re never in the mood.”

Nico hated when she did that. It was her go to way to get him to do things. She’d pull out the doe eyes and he’d crack because he loved his sister too much for his own good. No one was safe from Hazel when she set her sights upon them.

He relented. “Fine! Fine. I’ll go. But I’m only going for any hour.”

Hazel nearly squealed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh thank you! Thank you! The party is tomorrow.”

Nico nodded.

Reyna leaned against the doorway. “Did you tell him the best part yet?”

Nico turned to Hazel quickly with narrowed eyes and she shrugged sheepishly. “It’s kinda at Jason’s apartment.”

_Well_ , Nico thought in a flurry of panic, _this oughta be fun._

It wasn’t going to be.

****  
  
  


Jason was setting down the beers Percy had brought when Percy and Annabeth appeared in the kitchen.

“So, Nico di Angelo?” Annabeth started cautiously.

As much as Jason loved him if he heard that name out of someone’s mouth one more time he was going to deck them. He held a few reservations about punching a pregnant woman but he was sure Annabeth would have him on the floor in two seconds flat.

He sighed, putting the beers in the fridge. “Yep, Nico.”

“Jason, what exactly is it that you’re going to do when Nico gets here?” Annabeth asked, her tone pragmatic and still cautious. Jason admired that she respected boundaries.

“Yeah, dude, I mean I’m pretty sure everyone’s ready to just watch you guys finally kiss.” Percy. . .  Mmm, not so much.

Jason sighed and turned to them both full on. “Listen, I have no idea, okay?”

Annabeth shrugged and Percy whispered in her ear and she made her way out of the kitchen leaving them alone.

“Listen man, Nico’s. . .  He’s got problems.”

Jason really tried not to be bitter. But after hearing what Nico had told him it was hard. It was very hard and Jason was trying very hard to reign in that irrational part of his brain that wanted to punch Percy simply because he existed. The other half, the half that won out, knew it wasn’t his fight, and that Nico was getting over it.

“I know. He said. . . a lot of things that week.”

Percy ran his hand through his hair and gave Jason a wary look. “He told you about the accident?”

Jason nodded because he didn’t trust his best half to win out that time.

Percy sighed, shook his head and his eyes were back to their playful tones instead of the stormy sea green they had been.

“I’m glad you’re in love with him. I couldn’t. . .  I can’t take care of him the way he needs. But you can. And you’ll do a damn good job.”

Jason let out a small breath and smiled. “Yeah, right, if I ever say anything first.”

Percy laughed but then stared at him seriously. “Do I need to give you the shovel talk about breaking your legs if you hurt him?”

Jason rolled his eyes playfully. “Reyna would beat you to it.”

Percy gave a visible shiver. “Damn right. That girl is _scary_. And oddly still beautiful. It’s weird.”

Annabeth poked her head into the kitchen again. “What’s oddly beautiful?”

Percy turned and smiled at her like a lovestruck doofus and Jason wanted to vomit. “You are.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Seaweed Brain.”

Percy made an indignant noise. “Hey! Not all of us can be _architect and engineering majors_.”

Annabeth chuckled. “Better than being a Marine Biologist.”

Percy snorted. “You weren’t saying that when you married me.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes but Jason could see she was blushing lightly. She took his hand and as she led him out of the kitchen he turned to Jason.

“Yo, man, just remember, nothing to fear.”

That was easy for Percy to say. Percy and Annabeth had been together since forever. Percy had been dating her since they were thirteen. Percy did _not_  get to give out relationship advice when his was perfect. Stupidly perfect Annabeth and Percy and their soon-to-be stupidly perfect baby. Jason was in no way bitter, it’s just that no two people should be that sickeningly sweet together. Jason is still very happy for them and was honored when they asked him to be the kid’s godfather.

Frank and Hazel arrived as Thalia, Piper, Leo, Percy, and Annabeth were all taking turns destroying Leo at Mario Kart.

Frank waved to them all gathered in the living room and Hazel immediately made her way to Jason. She pulled him into the kitchen and Frank followed in tow.

Hazel looked at him. “Nico’s going to be here in ten minutes.”

“Wait! Did I hear that Nico will be coming soon?” Thalia shouted from the living room.

Everyone turned to them in the kitchen huddled and Jason smacked his face with the palm of his hands. Dear god.

Leo grinned. “You got him to come?”

Hazel gave him a serious look. “Reyna convinced him to come.”

They all shivered, they knew what that meant.

“So you’re going to tell him, right?” Percy asked.

“You can do it, Jason.” Piper encouraged.

“If you need a plan I have one. . . or ten.” Annabeth offered.

“Come on, baby brother, don’t chicken out on me now.” Thalia whooped.

“Guys!” Jason shouted.

Somehow they had all gathered around him and it felt stifling. He broke away burst through their small gathered crowd into the living room.

“I’ll do it when I’m ready.” He said.

Percy rolled his eyes. “Yeah but we want it done in the next century.”

Annabeth smacked his arm but she gave an agreeable nod.

Thalia sighed. “Come on, Jason you can do this.”

****  
  
  


“Come on, Nico. You can do this.”

Nico doubted that. He really doubted he could do anything. Breathing wasn’t coming easily right now. It was a wonder, they were standing at the foot of Jason’s building. Nico felt nervous, queasy, and above all like he wanted to go back to the comfort of the walls of his apartment. He wiped his hands on his pants, somehow they had become sweaty.

Reyna looked at him. “You’re going to fix this, right?”

Nico looked at her with wide eyes. “I. . . Uhm. . .”

Reyna sighed and picked the lock. Nico didn’t say anything about how illegal that was. Maybe she could even show him that trick.

“It’s as easy as one, two, three.”

“It really isn’t.”

“Like ripping off a band-aid. A band-aid of love.” Reyna smirked.

Nico gagged. “Gee, wonder why you’re single.”

Reyna gave a long suffering sigh like she didn’t understand it either. They made their way of the stairs to the second floor and they both stood in front of what seemed to be Jason’s front door. Nico nearly passed out.

Reyna looked at him and sighed. “If you don’t have any heart-warming confessions at least this won’t be awkward right? I mean, you have a class with the guy.”

Nico rubbed his neck. In truth he and Jason hadn’t talked. Jason had always been busy or talking to someone else and Nico, Nico kept to himself. Once Jason looked poise to talk to him after class and in an act of cowardice he ran in the opposite direction and went home.

Reyna knocked and behind the door Nico heard lots of shuffling. A moment later a woman with choppy black hair who looked like she belonged in an all girls metal group swung open the door.

“Reyna! And you must be. . .” The girl had set her eyes on Nico and if he was being honest it seemed almost predatory. Nico blushed from a slight bit of embarrassment and nervousness.

“I’m Nico.”

“Oh! So _you’re_  the Nico everyone keeps talking about.”

Nico casted a glance at Reyna who shrugged and he nodded. “I guess.”

The woman stepped to the side and waved to the interior where everyone was sitting watching Percy annihilate Leo at Mario Kart.

“Well come on in! I’m Thalia, Jason’s sister.”

Nico looked around nervously and spotted Jason in the kitchen having a heated discussion with Annabeth. For a moment his heart constricted out of nervousness. It shouldn’t have, really, because this was Jason’s apartment, there was little to no chance that he _wouldn’t_  see Jason Grace tonight. Nico was allowed to dream.

****  
  
  


“Jason, he’s right there!” Annabeth urged.

“I am not going to tell him in a room full of our closest friends!” Jason whisper shouted at her. And he wouldn’t. Jason didn’t want to put Nico on the spot like that, and knowing what he did, Jason was sure he wouldn’t appreciate it either.

“Tell him now, tell him later, Jason, come on,  _everyone_  is waiting for you guys to grow some balls and finally say it.”

Jason sighed and left the room when Percy called out for him to take his seat next to him and play. And if Nico was watching him more intently and Jason kind of won to impress him he didn’t say anything, but the smirk on Percy’s face said it all.

****  
  
  


When pizza arrived and everyone sat around the large dining room table that’s when Nico’s night really went downhill.

Thalia swallowed her bite and looked at him. “So, Nico, everyone told me that your dad got married recently.”

Nico nodded silently, with food in his mouth.

Thalia nodded. “And I also heard you took my brother to the wedding?”

Nico gulped. He nodded silently.

She grinned. “How did the in-laws take to seeing my impeccable and perfect little brother?”

Jason scowled. “Stop with the questions, Thalia. It’s over.”

Thalia sighed sadly. “Right. I missed it. Such a shame, really.”

Nico nodded.

Thalia leaned forward and stage whispered to him. “I also heard from various sources that you slept in the same bed together.”

Nico flushed from embarrassment. He knew they had been talking about the wedding, whether about Jason and himself or the actual wedding he hadn’t figured out but it seemed they had talked more about him and Jason. Nico felt anger and hurt brighten the tips of his ears because it was embarrassing having your friends talk about you and talking to other people about the people you loved. The way Thalia smiled at him suggestively implied that she knew, that everyone, including Jason, at that damn table knew and that was the most embarrassing.

He got up quickly. “If you’ll excuse me.”

Everyone looked at him in surprise and he left the dining room and went over to the balcony he’d seen by the living room when he first walked in.

Jason turned to Thalia. “Not cool, sis.”

Thalia shrugged and glanced over to the spot where Nico had fled through the doorway. “Was it something I said?”

Once everyone was done eating Reyna pulled him aside. She gripped his arm tight and looked him in the eyes.

“Now you listen to me, Grace. I don't give a flying fuck who is not in love with who. All I know is that there is a boy on your balcony and he is angry and I want to hear you confessing your gooey lovestruck emotions right fucking now.”

Jason looked over to where Nico was leaning against the railing and his skin was illuminated by the moonlight. Easy, right. Someone might need to get him a bucket for when he finally decided the contents of dinner would be coming back up.

He walked over quietly, sliding the balcony doors partially shut.

“Hey.” He said quietly.

Nico turned around and Jason was smiling at him sheepishly. Nico was convinced that if Jason ever loved him in a way he wanted, he would never win arguments. He loved Jason’s smile too much.

“Hey.”

Jason rubbed his neck. “Listen about my sister. I am really sorry about that.”

That made two of them.

Nico sighed in resignation. Jason hadn’t figured it out yet, and Nico was grateful for that.

“It’s okay. It’s not like she was interrogating me because we’re in love.”

Jason felt something drop in the pit of his stomach. Now was the time. _Just go for it, Grace_ , the voice in his head encouraged. Jason thought it sounded suspiciously like Leo. Which means his life is in a sad state of affairs if Leo, even if it is his subconscious, was offering him _relationship advice_. Just do it. It’s like ripping off a band-aid, Thalia said. Just like ripping off a-

“Right about that. . .” Jason trailed off. His knees had gone weak and his legs felt like jelly. Have people died from being too in love? Jason might look it up because he felt his entire lower portion nearly buckle from the nervousness.

Nico stared at him. “She does know we’re not a in relationship, right?”

Jason was seriously going to vomit, no more bluffing. The bile felt like it was rising in his throat. “No no, it’s just. . .”

Nico stared in anticipation. “Just what?”

Jason was going to die and go to hell. Oh who is he kidding, he’s already in hell.

“I love you.” He blurted out.

Dear god dear god dear god. Jason was praying to every deity when Nico’s eyes widened. He would find ten different gods in less than half a second. Oh god. Jason was going to pass out. He really was.

There was pin-drop silence where Jason waited for Nico to say something, anything.

It felt different now that Jason had said it. Nico had wanted him to say it for two months. Two long months of avoidance and silence and jokes and meddling, and now Jason was standing in the moonlight telling Nico he loved him. But something bloomed in NIco’s stomach, a sort of dread. It began to take over and the rational part of Nico knew this was okay, but the irrational part, the part that won out, couldn’t help but begin to panic. Of course that part of himself was also rational in it’s own way. It voiced Nico’s insecurities and shortcomings and the things Jason didn’t fully understand, that Nico couldn’t let him understand because once he did he wouldn’t love him like he thought he did.

Nico pushed himself away from the balcony. “Is this some kind of joke?”

Part of Jason’s gut twisted at the thought that Nico could only believe that people loved him as a practical joke.

“No, I really-”

“No. No. We are really not doing this right now.” Nico felt something twist in his gut. It was guilt because he felt the same way, but it was also terror and fear. Loving Nico di Angelo was dangerous. He felt the anxiety and depression begin to hit him in waves. Loving Nico di Angelo killed you, because it had killed Maria and Bianca and it had killed Hades for a long time and it would kill Hazel and he worried about that, endlessly. But not Jason Grace, not perfect and considerate and kind and beautiful Jason Grace.

“I have to go.” Nico said hurriedly.

Jason reach out and Nico back away, flinching from the contact. “I-I can’t. . . I have to go, now.”

He rushed out of the balcony, pushing past where their friends had gathered to watch them and he shouldered past. His eyes welled up with tears and he felt like a stupid twelve year old all over again, everyone watching as his father looked down on him in disdain. Stupid. It was stupid to come here. Because sure the wounds had healed but no one and no amount of love could change the fact that Nico couldn’t return it. He couldn’t watch Jason Grace die just because Nico was too selfish and wanted things and wanted to be loved. Jason Grace loved him and he would die for it and it was Nico’s fault.

He thought he heard someone calling to him as he ran down the stairs, skipping steps and miraculously not tripping.

He ran through the doors of the lobby and ran all the way home, his lungs struggling and his breath short and his lungs threatening to break free from the ribcage.

****  
  
  


Jason walked back out into the living room where everyone watched him cautiously.

He hated being that guy but, “I told you. I told all of you.”

They stayed silent.

He threw his hands into the air in frustration. “I knew I was going to just drive him away. I knew it! And I should have listened to myself, instead of you bunch of meddling assholes. I should have just kept my mouth shut!”

He didn’t realize it until he’d done it but Jason shouted the last part.

Thalia walked forward cautiously, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, baby brother, we can fix this.”

Jason wrenched himself free from her contact. He stared at her with fiery eyes, eyes full of hurt and anger and embarrassment. “Don’t you get it?! Leave it alone! Leave me alone! Leave everything alone because at least before I could be in the same room as him! What now? What will he do now that he knows?”

Reyna frowned and looked at him. “Nico feels the same.”

Jason scoffed and pointed to where the door was still open. “In case you missed the memo Nico doesn’t feel any type of way about me. Scratch that, it’s probably just embarrassment for me.”

Reyna shook her head. “He told me he does.”

And Jason felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach. “Maybe he changed his mind.”

Jason went to his room and when he laid down on the sheets that felt too scratchy he didn’t even have the energy to play The Front Bottoms.

Jason woke up to a pounding headache and at least three regrets.

Number one was the headache that was pounding against his skull and would most likely kill him if the embarrassment didn’t first. The second was the fact that he had gone to his room while everyone was still here so he couldn’t know if they had all left or not. The third was the obvious regret. Jason would never live this down.

He got up and padded softly to the kitchen. He looked through the kitchen to find that Percy and Annabeth had fallen asleep on his couch. Stupidly perfect and in love Annabeth and Percy. He looked over to find Thalia sleeping on the recliner with his favorite afghan covering her.

He went back to reheating the cold pizza and as the microwave beeped Leo walked in, making his coffee.

Jason sat down quietly and ate his pizza as Leo sat down with his mug.

Leo sighed. “So that went catastrophically bad yesterday.”

Jason swallowed the piece he’d bitten off. It was than he could chew. “Yep.”

Leo gave him a wary look. “What are you going to do now?”

“Exactly what you said, live the rest of my life out in embarrassed avoidance. Great plan.” It was the perfect plan for tomorrow on Monday when Nico and Jason would have Biology together.

Leo sighed. “Listen, I’m sorry. I really am, dude. I was totally convinced he might’ve liked you back.”

So had Jason. “So was I.”

Leo winced. “Yeah.”

They didn’t say anything else while Jason ate the moderately warm pizza. He felt bad for the way Leo shrank away from him as though he pitied him, but he couldn’t bring himself to care for a while. His friends had pushed and pushed and pushed and pushed and now Jason was in the exact situation he wanted to avoid. He was lonely, rejected, and probably pathetic right now.

Jason went back to his room and got his papers ready for tomorrow.

****  
  
  


“Nico, what the _fuck_  was that?!” Reyna nearly shouted at him the moment he emerged from his room.

He winced. “What?”

Reyna glared at him, and it had never really been directed at him. It was something to be reckoned with, but Nico had enough sense to know she’d never hurt him. But the way she glared, well, he was starting to question that.

“You know damn well what I’m talking about.”

Nico sighed. “Can I at least get my coffee before we have this conversation?”

Reyna sat him down at their kitchen table, set the pot and turned to him, arms crossed and eyes still glaring at him. It was a bit unsettling.

“Speak. Explain. Now.”

Nico fiddled with his thumbs and sighed as he looked down at the table with it’s worn scratched from the life it had experienced with them.

“He can’t love me.”

Reyna stared at him. “What do you mean?”

Nico felt tears in his eyes and he looked down at the table so Reyna wouldn’t see them.

“People around me die, Reyna. My mom, Bianca, dad. Dad isn’t dead but for a long time it felt like he was that way.”

Reyn dropped all her anger in a heartbeat and gave him a soft and sad look. “Oh, Nico.”

His voice cracked. “That’s why I didn’t say anything. People like Jason, I can’t hurt them, Reyna.”

She moved forward, wrapping him in a hug and he cried into her shoulder. It was silent, quiet and the tears just ran. In some way it felt good to say it out loud. It felt better after having comfort, and after spending so many years hurting and internalizing it, it felt like a dam breaking through when Reyna hugged him tighter and sighed into his hair.

“You wouldn’t hurt him. Jason can hold his own.”

Nico buried himself deeper into the hug. “What if I hurt him one day? What if I hurt him and he never forgives me?”

Reyna just held him and continued running her hands through his hair. She was the only one he allowed to do that.

“He’d be an idiot not to.”

Nico wished that was true.

****  
  
  


Monday was probably the most awkward and terrible day Jason had ever had. First his coffee burnt, then he was late to college, then he was late to biology.

In the hectic mess of the morning he’d forgotten that today he’d be in class just a few rows away from Nico. He entered in late and stopped in his tracks when all the students turned to him.

Chiron nodded at him. “Take your seat, Mr. Grace. You’re late.”

Jason nodded and walked to his seat. He made eye contact with Nico and when Nico stared back Jason went back to staring at his shoes. He shuffled quietly to his seat.

The class ended and Jason went home and lay down on his bed. He was reading some book from his shelf when Reyna bursted through the room.

“Grace I have a bone to pick with you!”

Everyone had a bone to pick. Jason sighed. “How did you even get in here?”

Reyna pointed at him. “No diversions. Get your sorry ass up.”

“Hey!”

Reyna threw some clothes at him. “Oh boo-fucking-hoo, you got rejected. We all get rejected, Jason. I refuse to let you sit in your room and mope about it. God, you and Nico, what a bunch of babies.”

Reyna looked at him and there was something in her eyes. Jason knew it well. Sure they had agreed to mutually break it off, but Jason had fallen out of love first.

“What are you even doing in my apartment?”

Reyna sighed and looked at him. “Change. And you’re going to go get Nico back, you sorry son of a bitch.”

Piper and Leo watched from the doorway in amusement and glee. Didn’t they have classes to go to?

Jason changed but heaved a sigh. “He’s not interested.”

Reyna crossed her arms. “Here’s what’s happening, Grace. Nico, sweet as he is, think he’s going to ‘spoil you’ like hurt you or something. But I know damn well you can hold your own.”

Jason looked at her quickly. “Nico talked about me?”

Reyna rolled her eyes. “Please, he’s fucking nuts about you. Which is why you are going to go to his favorite gelato place, get a pint of tiramisu, and tell him to stop being a self-sacrificing asshole and kiss you already. _Exactly_  in that order.”

Leo snickered from the doorway and whispered. “Knew it. Bunch of self-sacrificing assholes.”

Reyna turned to him and nodded with an eyeroll like she agreed but hated the truth of the fact.

Jason pulled on his coat. “What if. . . I mean. . .”

Reyna looked at him and glared. “Do it _exactly_  like I told you. He’ll be there. He’s been moping for a while and it’s starting to upset me.”

Her face went soft there and Jason understood she wasn’t doing this to meddle. She wanted Nico to be happy. He wanted Nico to be happy. They had a common goal and as terrifying as she was, he listened to her. Reyna only wanted Nico to be happy and the way her perfectly arched eyebrows furrowed in visible upset was evident of that.

He nodded, suddenly in a hopeful daze. “Right. Gellato, assurance, kissing. Exactly in that order.”

He put his wallet in his pocket and Reyna gave his a wide smile. It was hopeful and playful, and above all it was honest.

“Go get him, superman.”

Jason practically darted out of the bedroom door and Leo chuckled and called after him. “Go get your Lois Lane! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

Reyna smiled after him and Piper slid into the space next to her, grinning. “You got them to kick it into gear.”

Reyna shrugged. “People tend to listen to me.”

Piper nodded. “You have a very commanding presence.”

Leo gaped at Piper’s obvious flirting. _What did it take to get a date around here?_

****  
  
  


Nico was watching Ghost Adventures when a sharp knock came sounding through the apartment. He nearly jumped.

He walked to to the door. “Reyna, I thought you said you were going to be gone-”

The door swung open and Jason Grace in all his six foot four glory stood there with a paper bag and Nico knew what that was.

“Gelato?”

Jason offered him the bag sheepishly. “Peace offering.”

Nico took the bag and walked into the kitchen, leaving his invitation inside obvious when he left the door wide open. Jason followed after him, shutting the door behind that.

Nico was rummaging for spoons, trying to avoid the way his heart was pounding and his palms were sweating.

“What are you doing here?” He said, quietly.

Jason sat down in a chair that faced where he was still searching for spoons. He found then and turned around to see Jason sitting, hands folded and looking at him intently. Nico gulped when he saw the focus of Jason’s blue eyes.

Jason shrugged. “I figured we needed to talk about Saturday.”

Nico sat down across from him and offered him a spoon and Jason made contact with his skin and lingered there with purpose.

Nico shook his head. “I appreciate the gellato, and I know Reyna put you up to this. But-”

“No one put me up to this, Nico.”

Nico felt a shiver run down his spine from the way Jason said his name softly.

Jason continued. “Reyna. . . _may_  have mentioned that you felt the same.”

Nico glowered at him. “She had no right to tell you that.”

“So it’s true?”

Nico sputtered, because Jason had gotten him there. Of course it was. Nico dug his spoon into the gellato and swallowed the creamy cold soft serve before he answered.

“Yes.”

Jason grinned at him. It was bright and somehow Nico was sure their yellow painted kitchen had gotten impossibly brighter just by its presence.

“Good. So, dinner, you and I?”

Nico nodded. This felt wrong, too weird, too out of place. He wanted it to be real, but it couldn’t be. Nico didn’t get good things. “No, no, what?”

Jason took a spoonful of the gelato. “Well, see, when two people like each other they got on dates.”  _Hopefully,_  Jason thought.

Nico shook his head. “No. . .  You’re not supposed to. . . People like you. . .” Why was it so hard to say it out loud?

Jason leaned forward. “What? People like me don’t date people like you? That’s a bit high school, don’t you think?”

Nico glowered. Jason understood it, really, he did. Just this morning he was ready to crawl into a hole and die and never crawl out. But Nico loved him, liked him, was interested in him in a very real and very romantic sense and Jason wasn’t sure where his newfound confidence blossomed from, but he was going to use it.

Jason continued. “Listen, I know that for a long time good things weren’t things could have. But I am offering the opportunity for something good. I want this to be good.”

Jason was so earnest and Nico wanted so badly to believe in him. He reminded Nico of ten-year-old Nico. He smiled, he believed in magic tricks and getting better, he had good things, wanted good things. Jason had good things and believed in getting better.

Nico shrank into himself, wrapping arms around himself and Jason wanted to pull him close like he had those night where the lights were off and they weren’t afraid to love each other.

“I could hurt you.”

Jason swallowed a spoonful of the gelato. “I could hurt you, too.”

Somehow, Nico didn’t believe he would.

“Good things, right? That’s what this could be?” Nico asked cautiously.

Jason grinned at him. Ten year old Nico. Getting better. Good things. Magic.

“The _best_.”

****  
  
  


Jason skipped the rest of his classes that day. . . and the next morning.

They lay spent Tuesday morning after Jason called in sick. He hung up and sighed as he looked down to find Nico settled into his side. The only thing either of them wore was the cover from Nico’s bed.

Jason smiled down at him.

Nico looked up, face blank but slightly confused. “What?”

Jason wanted to tell him how beautiful he looked, afterglow, black hair skewed, and his olive skin smattered with bruises from things Jason was not going to tell anyone about. Jason wanted to tell him about how he had confessed his love to a boy he barely knew two months ago and how he knew he couldn’t love anyone else. Jason wanted to say a lot of things. Instead he settled for a kiss.

“I love you.”

Nico rolled his eyes and gave him a small smile. Jason knew he was secretly pleased. “I know. You said it enough times last night.”

Jason will neither confirm nor deny that he may have shouted it in the middle of his climax. He will also neither confirm nor deny if that sent Nico into climax right after him.

Nico sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “We’re kind of idiots.”

“You can say that again.” Reyna said from the doorway.

They both pulled the covers up in shock and Jason sputtered but Reyna waved her hand dismissively.

“Please, we were all expecting it. Took you long enough.”

“Yeah, it’s like the time it took me six months to propose to Annabeth!” They heard Percy say from somewhere in the apartment.

“I still proposed to you, Seaweed Brain.”

“Not the point right now, Wise Girl.”

Nico looked at her and gave a long suffering sigh. “Please tell me all our friends or not in our living room.”

Reyna shrugged but she gave them a wicked grin. “I’d be lying.”

Just as she said that they heard a whoop from behind her and Leo appeared in the doorway. “Hell yeah, Grace. You did exactly what I would have done!”

Nico and Jason both threw pillows at his face. Leo made a squaking noise as he fell over and Reyna dodged them gracefully.

“Get dressed and look presentable. We’re having lunch in an hour and our friends want to congratulate you on overcoming your idiotic teen angst.”

She closed the door and they pulled on clothes quickly and made their way into the living room where all their friends waiting.

Annabeth gave Nico a high five.

“I gotta say, Nico, you look like you got mugged by some leeches.” Percy said obnoxiously. Hazel and Frank chuckled at that while Reyna gave them an eyeroll.

Thalia turned to her brother. “Ha! Finally! And you both needed a whole day to make up. Gee, it took you guys long enough.”

Jason will never stop hearing the end of that. Nico leaned over and gave him a kiss on the corner of his mouth where his scar was and Jason sighed lovingly at him. It was worth it.

* * *

 

**_Epilogue- Two Years Later_ **

****  
  


“Demeter, if you do not stop fiddling with my son’s suit _I_  am going to lock you up.”

Nico looked over to his father in the doorway and gave him a thankful look. Hades gave him a small smile as Demeter backed away.

“Oh, bah, I was simply fixing his tie! We can’t have him looking unpresentable on his wedding day!”

Nico rolled his eyes. “You fixed it fifteen times.”

Demeter looked at him. “Better safe than sorry, my boy. You know, as I always say-”

“Thank you, Grandmother.” They said in unison and she huffed.

“Very well. I’ll leave you both to it.”

She left and Hades turned to Nico and gave him sympathetic eyes, they both understood. Hades had not handled his marriage too well, he later confessed at Christmas that year that he had nearly fainted.

“Are you nervous, my boy?”

Nico nodded. “A little. I mostly feel like I’m going to throw up.”

Hades nodded. “Perfectly natural. It’ll be fine.”

Nico nodded.

Hades smiled at him. “Your mother would be very proud. And your sister as well.”

Nico smiled. He knew they would be.

****  
  
  


Jason was tying his tie when little Sally came running through his dressing room.

Percy quickly followed after her, chasing her and attempting to catch her.

Jason chuckled. “Annabeth left you with Sally duty?”

Percy finally picked up the giggling two year old. “I shouldn’t have named her after my mom. It was a mistake. She’s too energetic.”

Jason laughed and began to fidget with his tie. “Imagine what you were like.”

Percy sighed and looked at his daughter. “Remind me to call my mom and apologize.”

Jason laughed as Thalia and Annabeth appear. Sally seemed to calm down just by seeing her. Thalia grinned at him.

“Ready to marry the love of your life?”

Jason’s gut twisted in anticipation and nervousness. “Oh god.”

Annabeth laughed. “Don’t worry, you’ll do fine. Percy threw up an hour before the wedding.”

Percy glared at her and pouted. “Not all of us can have strong stomachs, Wise Girl.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes. She turned to Sally, who had dirty blonde hair and sea green eyes like Percy.

“Ready to be the flower girl?”

Sally threw her hands up in glee.

Thalia ordered them out and looked at him seriously.

“You sure about this, Jase?”

He nodded.

“And you have the vows?”

He nodded.

Thalia smiled at him. “You and me, kid. Just the two of us and now you’re getting married.”

Jason let out a huge breath. “Oh dear god, I’m gonna be sick.”

Thalia chuckled. “You’ll be good. Everything will be good when you see him.”

For a while it had just been Jason and himself when Thalia had run away to join Diana. But when they saw each other years later when Jason was seventeen it was still the same. Jason had depended on her the way they used to and nothing changed. Jason and Thalia had always been just the two of them, and now it would be three. Jason was getting married and Thalia was there and Jason couldn’t imagine anything more perfect.

Jason nodded and she fixed his tie and dusted off the imaginary lint from his suit.

She grinned. “Let’s do this.”

Jason walked out of the dressing room, turned the corner, and stepped onto the altar Demeter had set for the wedding in that garden labyrinth where Nico and Jason had first kissed. Jason turned as the music started and he smiled.

Nico di Angelo was walking down that aisle with an army of people who loved him following him, his father and Hazel by his side. And the one person who had loved him enough to marry him was waiting just a few footsteps and a song away. Jason hoped to god it wasn't a Front Bottoms song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that's it! This is the end! I am so thankful for all the people who supported this work even though I am a procrastinating piece of shit! And I thankful for all who left comments, criticisms, and nice support comments. Let me know if you'd like to see more of this universe! Have a cosmic day! :D


End file.
